For Whom the Bell Tolls
by Saesama
Summary: Cid's in for a lot more than he expects when he finds a man sleeping in the Waterway's below Hollow Bastion. CidXVincent, part one of three.
1. Until It Sleeps

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatant screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 1: Until it Sleeps  
  
So tear me open, but beware  
  
There's things inside without a care  
  
And the dirt still stains me  
  
So wash me, until I'm clean  
  
o o o  
  
"Cloud, wait up!"  
  
"Aww, come on, you slow-pokes!"  
  
"Who you calling slow, blondie?"  
  
"You, you little squirt."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Cid sighed, walking through the abandoned halls below the great castle, Hollow Bastion. Three children ran around within his sight, jumping off rocks, playing tag and exploring each dark corner and crevice. How in the heck the three 'adventurers' had talked the blond mechanic into exploring with them, Cid would never know. Guess I'm getting' soft, he thought. He couldn't help it; he liked the kids that came from the city to play in the castle halls. Somehow or other he had become the unofficial chaperone and guardian of the assorted group. Now, today, three of the most adventurous had talked him into taking them below the low levels of the castle into the Waterways. Blond Cloud, the oldest at thirteen; tough, energetic Tifa at eleven, and resilient Squall, the youngest at nine.  
  
Tifa ran back to Cid, taking his hand and tugging on it. "Come on, Mr. Cid." She pleaded. "You gotta hurry and make sure Cloud doesn't fall in a pit!"  
  
"I heard that!" Cloud yelled from around a corner. "And come on, we found another room!" Tifa abandoned Cid's hand and raced off towards her friends.  
  
Cid rounded the corner to find all three tugging on the handle of the door, trying to open it. He smirked, folding his arms and watching. Squall let go of the handle in disgust. "We can't do it." He griped. "Mr. Cid, you get it open."  
  
"Yeah, Cid." Cloud said, rattling the handle in frustration. "You can do it, I know you can." He gave up and stood back.  
  
Cid knelt in front of the door, testing the handle. "Thing's rusted shut, is all." He said. "Not locked or anything." He stood. "Guess it stays shut."  
  
"Awww, come ON, Cid!" Cloud said, hands on his hips. "You giving up?"  
  
"Chicken." Squall muttered.  
  
Cid glared at them both. "Chicken, huh?" he asked. "Chicken this. Stand back." The three moved away as Cid readied himself in front of the door. He tensed a moment, then lashed out with one foot, hitting the door just above the handle. Cloud let out a whoop as the door slammed open.  
  
The room was dimly lit by scones set into the stone walls. Three long boxes rested on the floor, dusty from years of disuse. Cid looked around, and not seeing anything that would attempt to eat them, he beckoned the others inside.  
  
"Whoa." Cloud said, running his hand along the lid of one box, lifting off a layer of black dust. "Wonder what's in these?"  
  
"Dead people." Squall replied matter-of-factly.  
  
"You're so gross." Tifa said, looking at one end of a box. "Hey, they aren't nailed shut. I bet we could open them. Come here, you two." Cloud and Squall both went to stand beside her, while Cid watched over their shoulders. "Ok, one, two, three, push!" As one, they pushed up on the edges of the box, lifting the lid with a dusty creak.  
  
Cid whistled low as Cloud pulled back a layer of plastic protecting the contents. Guns. Over two dozen, each in its own rack; rifles, shotguns, handguns and what looked like a mini-rocket launcher. Boxes of what was apparently ammo filled a full third of the box, which was big enough to hold a person. "Somebody liked to shoot things." Cid said, lifting out a long, gleaming rifle.  
  
"Are there more in these boxes?" Tifa asked, examining the next in line. Her friends came to help her as Cid replaced the rifle. The next box contained what used to be clothing, but was dry-rot and mold-spotted from age. Cloud lifted out what used to be a silk shirt, wrinkling his nose as it fell apart in his hands. "Gross. Bet we find a saddle in the third. Or food."  
  
"Nope, dead people." Squall stated, attempting to shove at the lid of the third box. "I think this one's bolted shut." He stepped back. "Mr. Cid?"  
  
Cid sighed. "So that's why you guys got me down here, to do all the hard stuff for you, huh?"  
  
"Yep!" Tifa said brightly.  
  
Cid shook his head. "Whatever." He held one hand out to the side, closed his eyes, and _summoned_. Gleaming swirls came from his hand, condensing into his Summon-weapon, a five-foot gleaming metal handle with a foot-long blade attached to one end. He shoved the tip under the edge of the box. "Come on, you think I'm doing this all alone?" He asked. The children scrambled to help, all four tugging together on the make-shift lever. The lid slowly came up with a rusty screech of nails. Cid grasped the edges, shoving up with a small grunt. It fell off the other side with a thud. They all leaned over to look in.  
  
It was man. He was tall, six feet at least. He was garbed in all black, studded with metal designs in places. What appeared to be a red-cloak wrapped around his shoulders, the high collar blocking the bottom half of his face. His hands were folded on his stomach, one normal, one covered in gleaming golden metal up to just past the elbow. Ebony hair flowed around his face.  
  
"Told ya." Squall whispered softly. "Dead people."  
  
His eyes opened, brilliant scarlet.  
  
o o o  
  
So tear me open, pour me out  
  
There's things inside that scream and shout  
  
And the pain still hates me  
  
So hold me, until it sleeps 


	2. The Thing that Should Not Be

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 2: The Thing that Should Not Be  
  
Messenger of Fear in sight  
  
Dark deception kills the light  
  
Hybrid children watch the sea  
  
Pray for Father, roaming free  
  
o o o  
  
Tifa let out a high shriek, all of them stumbling back as the man rose from the box, floating upwards and turning to stand lightly on the edge of the box. Cid tensed, his spear held before him, the kids cowering behind him. The strange man was between them and the door.  
  
The man looked over all of them, red eyes ticking from one frightened face to the next. "Who are you?" he half whispered, his voice dusty from disuse.  
  
"The question is, who the fuck are YOU?" Cid shot back. He noticed Cloud move to stand beside him, summoning his own weapon, a large, flat, almost square sword. Cid adjusted his spear a bit, moving the handle to hold Cloud back. The last thing he needed was Cloud deciding to try and play hero.  
  
The man stared at them a moment longer. "My name is Vincent." He said finally. "I do not wish to hurt any of you. Please, calm down."  
  
"What the hell are you doing down here?" Cid growled, Tifa and Squall latched onto his legs.  
  
Vincent closed his eyes, letting out a shallow sigh. "I am down here to pay for crossing the wrong man." He said, "For falling in love with the wrong woman. I would probably have slept for eternity, had you not come here." His eyes opened. "I think I need to thank you for that." He bowed low, still balanced on the edge of the box.  
  
Cid dropped his battle-stance, as it seemed that Vincent wasn't going to attempt to drink their blood. "How long you been down here?" He asked.  
  
"What year is it?" Vincent countered. Cid told him and he sighed. "Only twenty years." Vincent shook his head slowly. "It seems like so much longer."  
  
"Twenty years?!" Tifa piped up suddenly. "That mean you're like sixty or something!"  
  
Though it was hard to tell, with the lighting and Vincent's cloak, it seemed the dark man was smiling a bit. "No, not sixty, child." He said softly. "Forty-seven."  
  
"You don't look it." Cloud said.  
  
Vincent lightly jumped to the floor, his cloak flapping around his shoulders. "I do not think I've changed very much while down here." His hand without the gauntlet went to his hair, fingering the silky length. "Except for this. It was short, last I remember." He dropped his hair, looking at all of them. "You know my name; may I at least know yours?"  
  
"I'm Cloud." The blond boy said. "And this is Tifa, and Squall, and this is -"  
  
"Cid Highwind." Cid cut him off, holding out his hand  
  
Vincent bowed his head. "A pleasure to meet you all." He said. His voice had gone from dry and dusty to deep and quiet with talking. He shook Cid's hand "Vincent Valentine is my full name."  
  
Cid frowned a bit. He knew the name from somewhere, damned if he could remember where. He chased the thought from his mind to dwell on later. "Well, I don't know about you all, but I want t' get out of this creepy place. Who's with me?" As one, all three kids ducked around Vincent and raced for the door, skidding around the corner, giggling and talking rapidly. "Dammit, wait!" Cid yelled. He shook his head in exasperation. "Damn kids." He muttered. He turned his attention back to Vincent. The dark man was rummaging around in the box of guns. "What the fuck are you doing?"  
  
Vincent looked back at him, a pistol in one hand. "You do not swear as much with the children around."  
  
"Can't teach 'em bad habits. Answer my damn question."  
  
Vincent reached into the box of clothes, searching until he found a leather holster, untouched by age and studded with an intricate metal design. He buckled it around his waist, strapping the end around his thigh. "I was a bodyguard, Mr. Highwind." He said as he worked. "I learned to never go unarmed, no matter what."  
  
Bodyguard. THAT'S where he knew the guy from. The old Queen's bodyguard, way back when Cid was just a kid. He remembered hearing about him disappearing when he was ten. "The rumor was that you took a nose-dive into the Rising Falls." Cid said.  
  
Vincent looked at him for a long moment. "It probably would have saved me a great deal of pain." He replied. He waved his gauntleted hand at the door, holstering the pistol with the other. "Please lead the way, Highwind, as I have no idea as to where we are."  
  
o o o  
  
Crawling Chaos, underground  
  
Cult has summoned, twisted sound  
  
Out from ruins once possessed  
  
Fallen city, living death 


	3. Fixxxer

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatant screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
A/N: Longer chapter, this time. We will now find out if people will accept my version of Sephiroth's family or not ¬¬ But hey, remember, as I said above, this IS Kingdom Hearts. (Ps, the song for this chapter is my 2nd favorite Metallica song)  
  
Chapter 3: Fixxxer  
  
Dolls of voodoo all stuck with pins  
  
One for each of us and our sins  
  
So you lay us in a line  
  
Push your pins they make us humble  
  
Only you can tell in time  
  
If we fall or merely stumble  
  
o o o  
  
Cid felt more comfortable around Vincent, but he wasn't about to let the strange man behind him. Instead he walked behind the dark gunman, telling him the direction to turn, his spear on his shoulder. Vincent bore the mistrust without comment. At least it was justifiable.  
  
They had only gone what Cid judged to be a third of the distance when they met back up with the three kids. "Couldn't remember they way." Cloud replied when Cid asked why they were still there. "It's like a damn maze down here!"  
  
"Watch your mouth, punk." Cid said as they fell into step beside him. "Your Ma'd skin me alive if she heard you swearing."  
  
Cloud briefly rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mr. Cid. I won't act like you anymore." He quickly ducked to avoid the spear handle swung casually at his head.  
  
Ten minutes later they emerged from the dank tunnels into the lower levels of Hollow Bastion. Cid activated the elevator and they all rode up, Vincent standing slightly apart from the rest of them, gazing up at the castle with unreadable eyes.  
  
As they stepped off the elevator and onto the wide balcony that ran before the front doors, they heard a wild victory whoop. A half a second later Squall was tackled by a flying blond shape. Cid glanced at Vincent. The gunman had his hand at his hip, slowly releasing the hand grip on his pistol. Cid frowned a bit. The guy sure was jumpy.  
  
"Squaaaaaall!" The blond tackler yelled, sitting on the brunette's stomach, grinning happily. The child had short blond hair, wide blue eyes, mostly denim clothing and a single dark curl of a tattoo crawling along his cheek. He pinned Squalls arms at the elbows and leaned over the struggling boy. "How ya doin', old buddy?"  
  
"Get OFF me, Zell!" Squall replied, struggling against the other boy. "Or else I'll sic the dead man on you!"  
  
Zell blinked in confusion. "Dead man? Whataya mean?"  
  
"If you would ever pay attention to these things," Tifa said, grabbing the back of Zell's jacket and yanking him off Squall. "You'd see we got a new friend."  
  
Zell looked up at Vincent with wide eyes, then grinned. "How are ya, Dead- man? I'm Zell."  
  
"That's Vincent." Cloud said. "We found him in a box."  
  
"Cool." Zell looked around at the others. "I was waiting for you guys, 'cause lunch is being served. C'mon!" The four children ran off.  
  
"Crazy little guy." Cid said, shaking his head. "Tattoo comes from his tribe. Gets a bit more added every year. Cloud says the pain drove the kid completely bugshit. Wouldn't surprise me." He looked at Vincent for a long moment. "Guess I better take you up to see the big guys. They'll want to meet ya."  
  
"Would we, Mr. Highwind?" Cid glanced up. Walking towards them was a tall, broad-shouldered man with long, silver hair, intricate robes and eyes of ruddy gold. He stopped before the two, eyes ticking curiously between then.  
  
Cid sketched a bow. "M'Lord Ansem, this here is Vincent Valentine. We found him down in the Waterways."  
  
A silver brow rose. "Valentine? It's been long since I heard that name." He looked at Vincent for a moment. "Yes, Valentine. I remember you. Come, both of you. We need to discuss this." He turned and walked off. Cid shot Vincent a glance. The gunman's face was impassive, but his eyes held a look of bewildered amazement. After a second they followed Ansem inside the castle.  
  
Ansem led them up several staircases, up an elevator, and down a few halls to a wide receiving hall. As they crossed the hall towards the great double- doors at the other end, Vincent felt memories and fear wash up in his mind, even though his face showed no sign. He remembered walking this way once before; remembered pushing open these great doors as Ansem was now; remembered the crackle of an electricity spell, paralyzing every muscle; remembered that face twisted somewhere between a grin and a snarl-  
  
The room, once full of strange experiments in glass jars was now full of books and plants, the dark metal walls replaced by bright wood paneling. Instead of always being shuttered as Vincent remembered, the windows were wide open, letting in a soft breeze that smelled of spring. Another silver- haired man, perhaps in his early twenties, stood to the side, leafing through a book. He was taller and more lithe than Ansem was, dressed darker and more practical for easy movement. He looked up as they entered, cool green eyes examining the two he did not expect. Vincent felt a jolt start at his heart and spread when the young man's eyes met his. A perfect contrast to himself; green, silver and tan to his red, black and pale. Almost opposites, yet...His brain refused to allow him to travel that path any further.  
  
Ansem sat in a chair behind the larger of the two desks in the room, motioning for Cid and Vincent to sit as well in chairs before the desk. He folded his hands, resting his chin on them. "I remember you, of course, Mr. Valentine." He said. "Do you remember me?"  
  
Vincent inclined his head. "Of course, my Lord." he replied. "Prince Ansem, son of King Hojo and the Queen Lucretia. At least that is what you were when we last met." His eyes ticked over to the other man, still standing beside the bookcase. "I do not, however, remember this person. Should I?"  
  
Ansem chuckled a bit. "This is my half-brother, Sephiroth." he said, gesturing with one hand. "This world's greatest warrior and protector of my people."  
  
"Half brother?" Vincent asked. It couldn't be-  
  
"There was never any doubt that Ansem and I did not share a father." Sephiroth said. "Unfortunately, Hojo knew this as well."  
  
"I was hoping you could shed a bit of light on this, Valentine." Ansem said, his eyes boring into Vincent's.  
  
Vincent sighed shallowly. "I was a bodyguard to the Queen Lucretia." He said quietly. "She and I had an affair for a time, until Hojo found out. He caught me off guard one day and did I don't even know what to me before locking me down in the Waterways."  
  
"Where you found him, correct Highwind?" Ansem asked, looking at Cid.  
  
Cid nodded. "A few of th' kids talked me into 'exploring' as they put it. We found 'im in one of the rooms on the fifth level down."  
  
"You went that far?" Ansem quirked a brow. "It seems they would be too frightened."  
  
"Not Cloud, Tifa and Squall. You know those three."  
  
"True."  
  
Cid looked at Vincent for a moment, then Sephiroth. "Can see the resemblance, that's for sure."  
  
Ansem sighed and nodded. "It seems my father's worst suspicions have been proven true by a supposedly dead body guard, a mechanic and three children. If he had a grave, he would be rolling in it."  
  
Vincent raised a brow. "If he had a grave?"  
  
"Hojo made a dire mistake ten years ago." Sephiroth said, his voice icy cold. "He discovered a new way of amplifying the Darkness within a person. His first test subject was mother." Vincent winced slightly and Sephiroth nodded. "She died of a collapsed heart. He died by my sword two days later. A full minute before his pathetic corpse fell into the Rising Falls." He finished grimly.  
  
"Since then, I have ruled over this world." Ansem said, standing. "And I have ruled much more fairly than Lord Hojo. The people prosper, without the taxes and regulations he imposed."  
  
"I am glad to hear of it." Vincent replied sincerely.  
  
"Mr. Highwind here is the resident mechanical genius of Hollow Bastion." Ansem said, motioning to Cid with one hand. "He makes sure that this place does not fall in on us. The children are from down in the city and often come up to play. You are welcome to return to your home within the castle, Mr. Valentine." Vincent nodded and stood, his eyes lingering on Sephiroth for a long moment before he left the room. Ansem sighed and looked at Cid. "He seems to have not changed a bit, personality-wise. I would request that you keep an eye on him, and make sure your young friends do not get in his way too much. He was never the most patient of men when it came to children." He smiled ruefully. "I still remember some of the tongue- lashings he gave me for getting in the way."  
  
"I'll make sure to warn them." Cid said, standing. "Chances are they'll ignore me, though. He's new and they'll want to know more about him."  
  
"Just try to get them to realize that he shouldn't be bothered too much."  
  
"Right. Well, see ya, m'lords." He sketched another bow and left.  
  
Sephiroth sighed from his place near the bookshelf. "How long until the rumors spread?"  
  
"Of the dead man in the Waterways?" Ansem asked. "A day, knowing those children. That your father is alive? Much longer. Vincent will not readily tell anyone, and Cid will keep it to himself for a while at least. He may tell one person within a time, most likely his assistant and she may tell another and so on, but until the children know, it won't spread as fast."  
  
Sephiroth's lips quirked a bit, into a frown or smile, Ansem couldn't tell. "I do not mind people knowing, I mind them hearing the wrong version of the tale." He said. "Perhaps we should release the news ourselves."  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
o o o  
  
Shell of shotgun  
  
Pint of gin  
  
Numb us up to shield the pins  
  
Renew our faith  
  
Which way we can  
  
To fall in love with life again  
  
To fall in love with life again  
  
To fall in love with life again  
  
To fall in love  
  
To fall in love  
  
To fall in love with life again  
  
o o o  
  
Sephiroth approached the figure from behind, his boots treading quietly on the stone balcony. The other was watching the sunset, his cloak billowing around his shoulders, doused in the reds and golds of the sunset. The War- lord also noticed that Vincent kept his flesh hand near his holstered pistol. This balcony looked out over the city, instead of the Rising Falls, glowing like a gem on the western end of the island. Vincent turned slightly as Sephiroth approached, fixing the young man with a red-eyed gaze. Sephiroth fought the urge to swallow. Father or not, he was not going to show his nervousness to this man.  
  
"It is just as I remember." Vincent said quietly. "The sunset turning everything into a sea of fire, except for the city, standing defiantly against the flames."  
  
"I see it as a flow of silk." Sephiroth said softly, stepping up to the balcony, wrapping his hands around the balustrade. "Red and gold silk. The city is a pile of diamonds on the surface, reflecting the silk but casting out its own inner fire and colors as well."  
  
Vincent looked at him for a long moment. "Your mother taught you that."  
  
Sephiroth nodded, smiling a bit. "A long time ago. She taught us many such things."  
  
Vincent's lips quirked into what might've been a smile. "She and I used to stand out here and debate on what it resembled, fire, silk, sugar on an apple, god knows how many other metaphors. Every evening we could get away from our duties was spent here."  
  
Sephiroth nodded. "She took us up here often, to watch the sunset, to teach us the stars, to just talk with us. Hojo hated it. He had wanted Ansem molded into his image and he wanted me dead, but mother would not allow it. She didn't have a lot of power, except for where it concerned our well- being and schooling."  
  
"Knowing her," Vincent mused "She used every bit of that power to thwart Hojo at every turn she could."  
  
Sephiroth laughed. "And she did, too. Drove him up the wall. He tried to turn Ansem against her, saying that since she did not love him, she did not love his son, that I was the favorite child. Ansem laughed."  
  
Vincent studied Sephiroth for a moment. "You killed him when you were ten?"  
  
"Yes. /Summoned/ my sword for the first time, fully formed, and killed him. We were at the balcony that leads down to the Rising Falls. I pushed him in afterwards. He didn't deserve a grave."  
  
Vincent nodded. The Falls' strange waters either tore a body apart or crushed it. A person could not live through it. A magical barrier kept the strange currents from circling the castle and making it over to the city shores. "Will you tell the people?"  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
"Will they be angry?"  
  
"More like shocked."  
  
"Hm." The sun sank beneath the sea, taking its colors and flames with it. Vincent sighed almost inaudibly.  
  
"I-I had a servant fix up your old quarters." Sephiroth said suddenly, remembering his reasons for seeking out the strange man. His nervousness had returned when their minds had returned to the present. "It's not what you remember, but-"  
  
"Anyplace will suffice." Vincent said, turning and walking towards the door. "If I am here for any length of time, I can redecorate if I wish."  
  
"Of course. You are welcome here for as long as you wish, father." Sephiroth immediately cursed himself for letting that slip out as Vincent visibly stiffened.  
  
The gunman looked back over his shoulder. "Thank you," He said softly. "Son."  
  
o o o  
  
So tell me  
  
Can you heal what father's done?  
  
Or fix this hole in mother's son?  
  
Can you heal the broken worlds within?  
  
Can you strip away so we may start again? 


	4. Breakfast Interlude

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 4: Breakfast Interlude  
  
o o o  
  
Vincent had eaten breakfast in some strange places, but never in a workshop, sitting on a wooden bench with a pile of gears beside him, his plate balanced in his lap, and conversing with a mechanic and his assistant. Cid had come to his room that morning and invited him to breakfast. He didn't mention that they'd be eating in Cid's workshop and with his assistant, a quiet young woman named Shera. While Vincent sat on a workbench, Shera perched on a large box, and Cid sat in a wooden wheeled chair. A servant had brought a large tray full of food, mostly fruit, which sat on the bench beside Vincent within easy reach of all three of them.  
  
Shera and Cid asked comfortable questions, what he liked to do, where he had grown up, did he like to read, or draw, or sing, or dance; staying away from questions having to do with Queen Lucretia or King Hojo. Vincent answered them all truthfully and asked a few of his own, mainly concerned with what had changed since he last walked about and what had not.  
  
Despite the odd setting, despite Cid's rough-hewn bluntness and Shera's shyness, despite the fact that twenty-four hours before he had been having a nightmare in a coffin, despite the fact that he normally disliked grapes and yet was currently popping one in his mouth, Vincent felt oddly at ease. He would have expected to still be jumpy and nervous like he had been the day before. Maybe it was because there were no children around here.  
  
Cid popped the last bite of his toast into his mouth. "So, Vincent," He said, propping his feet up on the bench on the side of Vincent away from the tray. "What're you going to do now? Or have you not figured that out yet?"  
  
Vincent sighed. "No, I have not." He admitted. "I have been offered a place here in the castle, but I do not know what I will do here."  
  
Cid shrugged. "You'll figure out something." He stood, stretching his arms above his head. "But for now, I've-" He broke off as a commotion was heard outside. The door opened and Sephiroth stuck in his head. Below him, two more faces appeared, both young girls, a red-haired girl of ten or eleven and a black haired girl of six.  
  
"Hurry." Sephiroth said. "Two creatures out of nowhere out on the balcony. If they're dangerous, we might need help."  
  
The girl with the black hair ran in the room and tugged at Cid's arm. "C'mon, Mister Cid!" She said, "Let's go see!"  
  
"No way, Yuffie." Cid said firmly. You and Aerith stay here with Shera, hear me?"  
  
"Aw, Cid." Aerith whined. "Sephy, do we have to?"  
  
"My name's Sephiroth and yes, you have to stay here." Sephiroth replied. "Keep them out of trouble." he told Shera.  
  
"Yes, m'Lord." Shera said. Vincent slid down from his seat and followed Cid and Sephiroth.  
  
o o o 


	5. Carpe Diem, Baby

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 5: Carpe Diem, Baby  
  
Hit dirt, Shake tree  
  
Split sky, Part sea  
  
Strip smile, Lose cool  
  
Bleed the day and break the rule  
  
o o o  
  
The first thought Cid had was that two large cats had found their way onto the balcony. While this wasn't correct, it wasn't too far off. Sephiroth had led them up to a balcony where Ansem was facing two frightened creatures that appeared to be half feline and half human. They appeared young, ten or twelve years old. Both had human builds, one a bit bigger than the other; large feline ears; a long tail; green-gold eyes and paw- like hands and feet. The larger of the two had red-brown hair and a thin scar that ran across his left eye. The smaller had black hair with a shock of white in front. Both were wide-eyed, their tails bottle-brushing as they backed against the wall. Ansem stood before them, his empty hands held up in supplication.  
  
"They just appeared." Sephiroth said quietly. "Cloud came and told us. I came for you two, and Ansem came up here."  
  
Ansem ignored the three of them, his eyes staying on the two creatures. "We do not want to hurt you." He said softly. "We wish to help you."  
  
"Who are you?" The larger creature hissed suddenly. "Where are we?"  
  
"You are in the castle of Hollow Bastion." Ansem replied slowly, softly. "And you are among friends. Please calm down. We mean you no harm. My name is Ansem. Who are you?"  
  
The felines glanced at each other, mistrust clear in their eyes. "Why should we trust you?" the smaller one asked. His voice had a higher pitch and he seemed to be a year younger than the other.  
  
"Why should you not?" Ansem replied.  
  
The younger let out a short, humorless laugh. "You must not have met many felines, human." He said contemptuously. "Or you would not ask such dumb questions."  
  
"Hush." The older muttered. He looked back at the human. "Men call me Nanaki, and this one is called Reeve." He said. His eyes shifted to the other three. "Who are they?"  
  
"My brother, Sephiroth, Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine." Ansem replied. "I will personally vouch for them."  
  
"Always the diplomat." Cid muttered to Vincent behind Sephiroth's back.  
  
Nanaki raised a slender brow. "You are in charge here?" he asked. Ansem nodded. "Then is there a place we can sit and talk? It is too uncomfortable out here."  
  
"Of course." Ansem replied. "If you will follow me."  
  
o o o  
  
Stoke fire, Break neck  
  
Suffer through this cheat on death  
  
Hug the curve, Lose the time  
  
Tear the map and shoot the sign  
  
Then make me miss you...  
  
o o o  
  
Cid shook his head in slight amazement. It seemed cats were cats, even if they were half human. The two feline creatures lounged in the chairs before Ansem's desk, giving the appearance of being great nobility just from their posture. Sephiroth, Cid and Vincent all stood near Sephiroth's desk.  
  
"A few months ago," Nanaki said. "Our home was attacked by these....creatures. They were black as night and they stole the heart from a person, and kept it as their own. The person they stole from disappeared. They spread across the globe, stealing hearts, causing destruction, until the world was black with them." He sighed, shaking his unruly head of hair. Two braids woven with beads tinked against his shoulders. "The last thing I remember was my grandfather telling me that they had reached the 'Keyhole' and the 'Heart of the World'. Then we were waking up on that balcony."  
  
Ansem frowned, his palms pressed together before his lips. "The Heart of the World." He said softly. His ruddy-gold eyes studied the two intently. "Another world, perhaps?"  
  
"You still believe there are other worlds?" Sephiroth asked. "I do not."  
  
"Believe what you wish." Ansem replied. "But as far as I know, there has been no plague of black, heart-stealing creatures across our world. These two are not lying."  
  
"Then they are hallucinating." Sephiroth said, crossing his arms.  
  
Ansem raised a brow. "Have you ever heard of feline-people such as these?" He asked softly. "You have traversed the globe several times, brother. Surely you would have seen these beings before?"  
  
Sephiroth frowned. "That does not prove a thing." He said. "Until I have proof, I will not believe in other worlds." He walked out, pulling the heavy doors shut behind him.  
  
"Forgive my brother." Ansem said apologetically. "He is set in his beliefs."  
  
"That's okay." Reeve said brightly. "We don't mind. But what are we going to do now that we're here?"  
  
"This certainly is the week for finding new people." Cid muttered. "A dead- man in a box one day, and two days' later cat-boys from another world."  
  
"Hush, Highwind." Vincent said.  
  
"Don't hush me, young man."  
  
"I be older than you are."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Enough, you two." Ansem said. "You are no better than the children that follow you about." He sighed.  
  
"Speaking of children." Vincent said quietly. "I can hear several of them coming up here now."  
  
Cid opened his mouth to say something and was interrupted by the door opening. Zell, Cloud, Aerith, and Yuffie all ran in, giggling. Close behind them was a tall, ebony-skinned teen with broad shoulders and a quick grin. He shoved the door shut behind him and leaned against it. "Hello, m'Lord Ansem." He said, slightly breathless.  
  
Ansem raised a brow. "Do I even want to know, Barrett?" he asked. "No, I suppose I do not. But I suspect that whatever it is, Shera is not happy right now."  
  
Cloud shook his head. "Nope, she ain't." He said with a grin. "And I don't think Cid will be when he sees his workroo-crap, uh, hi Cid, hi Mr. Vincent, I didn't see you guys over there!"  
  
Cid folded his arms across his chest. "What about my workroom?" He asked, his voice dangerously calm.  
  
"Um, ah....." Cloud scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well...........hey, who are you two?"  
  
Nanaki and Reeve had turned around in their chairs to watch the commotion over the chair backs. They blinked at the human children, who stared in reply.  
  
"Hi!" Yuffie said brightly after a moment. "Want to come play?"  
  
"Sure!" Reeve replied, scrambling out of his chair. Nanaki shrugged and followed. Barrett, pulled open the door, looked around, then motioned them all into the hallway. The two feline-boys joined the human children and they all left.  
  
Cid shook his head. "T' tell the truth, m'Lord," he said. "Half the time I wonder why you let those kids up here at all."  
  
Ansem shrugged. "Because otherwise this castle would be far too empty, and the cooks would only have to cook for the three of us, Shera and Sephiroth."  
  
"Whatever. I'm going to see what the hell they did to my workroom. Good day to y' both." With a short bow, Cid left.  
  
"Other worlds?" Vincent asked.  
  
"I believe they exist, even if Sephiroth does not." Ansem replied, standing from his desk. "And I believe that those boys are telling the truth. Why they are here is a mystery, but it is one I hope to solve someday."  
  
"Will you allow them to live in the castle?" Vincent asked. "I think they would cause some commotion down in the city."  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
o o o  
  
So wash your face away with dirt  
  
It don't feel good until it hurts  
  
So take this world and shake it  
  
Come squeeze and suck the day  
  
Come carpe diem, baby 


	6. Wherever I May Roam

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
A/N: I wrote half of this chapter, then went on a super, ten-hours-of-play- in-less-than-twenty-hours KH kick, cursed myself because my thumb hurt like hell, then got the inspiration to finish it. And my thumb still hurts. Chapters should be coming faster, cause all the stuff that has occupied my mind lately is nearly done, so I have a bit more time to write. Go me.  
  
Chapter 6: Wherever I May Roam  
  
...and with dust in throat I crave  
  
Only knowledge will I save  
  
To the game you stay a slave  
  
o o o  
  
Vincent stood at a window of Cid's workshop, breathing deeply of fresh spring air. The steady drip-drip of melting snow filled the air, punctuated occasionally with a heavy, muffled thump of a larger batch of snow falling from somewhere. Vincent had spent the winter reacquainting himself with Hollow Bastion, getting to know all of the children from the city who visited the castle, and sitting in Cid's workshop, becoming friends with the mechanic and his assistant. The workings of the castle were much easier than he had been used to under King Hojo. Ansem didn't mind the children as long as they didn't break anything, Sephiroth was used to them, and Cid seemed to really enjoy them.  
  
Vincent looked back at the discussion at the main table of the room. Cid, Sephiroth, Ansem, Shera and Cloud all sat around the table, discussing the strange blocks of substance on its surface. The only reason Cloud was there was because Sephiroth had begun to personally train the boy and had wanted him along. Otherwise, the doors to the workroom had been locked against interruptions.  
  
The strange blocks had fallen to the ground during a meteor shower the night before. They were elastic, multi-colored, lightweight and opaque, quite unlike anything any of them had ever seen. As Vincent watched, Ansem picked up two pieces, a red and a green, and touched them together. They bonded easily, not sticky but more like two odd magnets. Cid reached over and stacked a blue piece on top, and it stuck well enough that he tried to pick up the blue and brought up the red and green along with it.  
  
"Weird stuff." Cloud commented, prodding an orange hunk with his finger. It flexed under the pressure like a piece of firm rubber. "And it fell from the meteor shower last night?"  
  
"I think it was the meteor shower." Shera said. "I wonder where it came from."  
  
"Who knows?" Cid replied. "What I want to know is what uses it has. Can we cut it apart? Can we glue it or something to make the bonds stronger? Is it edible?"  
  
Vincent reached over Cid's shoulder, selected a piece, and sniffed it carefully. The odd scent spoke of places further than he could imagine. "I wouldn't trust this to your stomach." He said, dropping it back to the table. It bounced slightly, struck another and bonded instantly.  
  
Cid gave him an odd look over his shoulder. "Whatever you say, Vince." He said. "But what can it be used for?"  
  
Ansem stacked several pieces like a brick wall and prodded the center. It wobbled slightly but didn't fall. "It seems stable enough. We will have to collect a larger amount and test it."  
  
"I've sent the order that any amounts found should be brought here." Sephiroth said. "As the word spreads around the islands, more will come in."  
  
"Who knows," Cloud said "We may get a great deal of the stuff."  
  
"Who's we?" Cid asked him.  
  
Before Cloud could answer, they all heard a distinct whistling noise. Vincent rushed back to the window and looked up. Everyone crowded around him and Shera gasped.  
  
A great streak of light, larger than any of the meteors from the night before, was soaring across the sky. They all watched as it suddenly grew even larger, coming towards them. The streak, not whistling now but screaming, slammed into the ground between the city and the castle, throwing up a huge cloud of dust.  
  
Cid was already out of the workshop, bowling over Aerith, Reeve and Yuffie at the door, Ansem and Sephiroth close behind, Cloud and Vincent bringing up the rear. They rushed down the stairs and were to the stables within minutes. Chocobo's were saddled in record time and the five were riding towards the crash site before the dust settled.  
  
The sight they were met with was beyond strange. An airship made of the strange rubber-blocks was slammed into a half-plowed field, the tail end sticking up in the air. The unfortunate farmer and owner of the field was slowly heading towards the ship with a large rake in hand and a scared look on his face. When he saw his rulers and escorts, he gave a shaky salute and ran. In front of the ship was a strange, short person with a hood.  
  
The person turned towards them as they came up, pushing his hood back. Two large, round ears stuck up from his head and his face was a long, pointed muzzle with a large black nose. Two black, intelligent eyes watched them.  
  
"Holy hell," Cloud breathed. "It's a damn rat!"  
  
"Mouse, actually." The rodent-person said in a high-pitched voice. "King Mickey Mouse, at your service!" He gave a bow.  
  
Ansem dismounted and returned the bow. "Lord Ansem of Hollow Bastion, my King." he said gravely. "Might I ask what country you are King of?"  
  
The mouse laughed brightly. "Oh, I know you have never heard of my country, M' Lord." he said. "But do y' know of a place I can get my ship fixed? I'm on a bit of an errand, y'know."  
  
Ansem looked back at Cid. "I think I know just the place, sir."  
  
The passage of three minutes found Ansem, King Mickey and Sephiroth riding back towards the castle, talking animatedly. Cid and Vincent were standing in the farmer's field, trying to figure out how to get the strange little ship back to the castle. Cloud decided that figuring out the ship was too boring and was lazing in the early spring grass near the road, feeding Cid and Vincent's Chocobo's with snips of grass. His own Chocobo was currently being ridden by a giant mouse.  
  
"Too bad we can't drag it." Cid muttered, walking around the ship with his hands in his pockets. "Be easier, but it'd break somethin'."  
  
"Maybe we can bounce it back." Vincent said dryly, his arms crossed and his back against the ship, his eyes watching Cid pace and stalk with some amusement. "The substance is rubbery enough."  
  
Cid snorted. "Whatever. I might have a flatcar big enough back at the castle...."  
  
"M'Lords?"  
  
Cid looked up. The farmer with the rake had returned, this time with a large flatbed wagon pulled by two yellow chocobo's. Two young teenage boys sat on the birds, looking at the ship with a mix of awe and fear. The farmer cleared his throat. "M'Lords, I believe you are in need of a wagon?" he said nervously.  
  
Cid grinned. "You, my friend, are a life saver." He said sincerely. "Ey, Cloud! Off your ass and help us with this thing!" He heard Cloud grumble and glared at the teen. "Consider it more training. Now c'mon!"  
  
"Alright, alright." Cloud said, shaking grass from his hair. "So how you want to get this thing up here?"  
  
o o o  
  
...Rover, wanderer,  
  
Nomad, vagabond,  
  
Call me what you will  
  
o o o  
  
Vincent stifled a yawn as he pushed open the door to Cid's workshop. He had spent hours the night before with Cid, Sephiroth, Ansem and the odd King, listening to stories and tales hardly believable. Other worlds, other places, legends of stars and Kings and keys that locked worlds and unlocked a person's heart. He told them of the 'Heart of a world', and the Keyhole that led to it. In a quiet voice he spoke of people whose hearts had been overtaken by darkness and became shadowy creatures of darkness and destruction. Brightly, he spoke of his own castle and the animal-people that inhabited it, mice and ducks and dogs and chipmunks, all with the intelligence and stature and emotions of humans.  
  
The stories had continued long into the night, and as a result Vincent had slept in far later than he normally did. The sun was riding high in the sky when he awoke, his head still spinning with half-forgotten dreams of dream- blue castles and talking mice and dark shadow-creatures with yellow eyes.  
  
The sight that greeted him in the workshop was an amusing one. King Mickey's ship rested in the large open space, a layer of the blocks lifted off the front end, creating a hole that two distinctively different rumps stuck out of; one clad in dark green denim and quite a bit larger than the other, which was clad in red shorts with a thin tail sticking out the back. Vincent half-smiled and leaned against the side of the ship, feeling it bend slightly under his weight. Gummi-blocks, Mickey had called them. He listened for a moment to Cid's voice asking questions and Mickey's answering them. "You know, you're giving anyone who walks in the door quite a show, Highwind." He said suddenly, tugging lightly on Cid's pant leg. He heard a startled yelp, a thud, and a stream of curses that made him grin in spite of his night of little sleep. Cid dropped down from the ship, rubbing his head and muttering, Mickey dropping down beside him. Though it was hard to tell for Vincent, Mickey almost appeared to be laughing silently. The mechanic glared at Vincent with a blue eye ringed by sleepiness. "Did you even eat breakfast?" Vincent questioned, raising a brow.  
  
"Breakfast, breakfast, what the hell is this 'breakfast' you speak of?" Cid asked sarcastically. "It cannot get in the way of science, man. Now out of my way, I've got a ship to figure out." The effect was ruined by a loud grumble from Cid's belly. Vincent raised both brows, looking at Cid pointedly. Cid gave in, shaking his head. "Okay, okay," he said, "Teach me of this 'breakfast', for it sounds like food."  
  
Vincent chuckled quietly as Cid headed for the door. Mickey looked up at him, cocking his head to the side. "You two always that silly?" He asked.  
  
Vincent nodded. "Cid seems to bring out the silly side in anyone." he said, watching the pilot talk to a servant across the workroom. "Brings out the best in them." he added quietly, more to himself than to the King.  
  
"He seems to be a good friend of yours." Mickey said, watching Vincent intently.  
  
Vincent blinked, pulling his eyes away from Cid to look down at the King. "He is a good friend." he said. "Possibly the best friend I've ever had."  
  
Mickey gave him an odd look before Cid was calling for them, motioning them over. Vincent frowned a bit, following the King across the workroom. Did Mickey know something about Cid he didn't? Or....did he know something about Vincent that the ex-bodyguard didn't? Maybe he just suspected there was more between the two men than there was. Or was there?  
  
I am way too tired to think right, Vincent thought.  
  
o o o  
  
...And the earth becomes my throne  
  
I adapt to the unknown  
  
Under wandering stars I've grown  
  
By myself but not alone  
  
Carved upon my stone  
  
My body lie, but still I roam  
  
Wherever I may roam 


	7. Delicate Interlude

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
A/N: Random fluff that feels ridiculous as I type it.  
  
Chapter 7: Delicate Interlude  
  
o o o  
  
Cloud dropped to one knee, panting as he glared at his opponent and teacher. His hands wrapped around the hilt of his Summon-weapon, which had steadily formed itself over time to the long, heavy, razor-sharp sword he now held. He was getting better at wielding the ungainly-looking weapon, able to hold his own against any of the city guards that were brought up to the castle as his opponents.  
  
But he stood little chance against the man who stood before him. Sephiroth looked down at his student impassively, Masamune held easily in one hand despite its great length. He raised his unburdened hand and beckoned Cloud to him. Cloud grit his teeth, rising to his feet, his sword seeming to weigh many times its weight. It felt like Sephiroth was taunting him, standing there so cool and calm and collected and impossibly beautiful, very unlike his sweaty, disheveled, panting student. Cloud paused for a second, catching his breath and watching his teacher for any sign of weakness in his guard, then shot forward, swinging his sword at the older man's legs, trying to get under Masamune's guard. Sephiroth didn't move until Cloud was nearly upon him, bringing Masamune around in a circle, striking Cloud between the shoulder blades with the hilt and sending the boy sprawling. Cloud landed face first on the cobblestone ground, his sword skittering away across the balcony. He grit his teeth and braced himself to stand, but froze when he felt cold, sharp metal at the back of his neck. "Do you yield?" Sephiroth asked softly, his booted feet barely within Cloud's line of vision.  
  
"I yield." Cloud answered grudgingly, relaxing his body. His entire frame ached with overlapping layers of bruises and a few shallow cuts that were the result of very stupid maneuvers on his part. When Masamune moved away, he sat back on his knees, bracing his hands on the ground as he caught his breath. He looked up at Sephiroth to see the general holding out one hand, Masamune sheathed at his side. Cloud hesitated before holding out his own hand, allowing Sephiroth to pull him to his feet. He looked up into the general's emerald eyes and had to look away, feeling unworthy of such a teacher.  
  
Cool, slender fingers gripped his chin and brought his gaze back up to his teachers'. The boy's heart thudded wildly in his chest. Never before had he been this close to the general while just standing, not attacking or being attacked but standing quietly, their eyes locked and bodies tensed. Sephiroth's thumb ghosted over the place where Cloud's cheek had met the floor, his touch soothing away the dull ache, though Cloud hardly noticed. He was too busy committing Sephiroth's eyes to memory. "You've improved." Sephiroth said finally, drawing his hand away from his student's face. "Before, you would not get nearly as close."  
  
"It's not close enough." Cloud replied, unsure if they were speaking of their 'battle' or of the position they were in now. Less than a foot separated their forms and Cloud's mind yammered at him, part telling him to step back and part screaming to close the gap in a kiss, a hug, anything. But he stood there, frozen by the general's eyes until Sephiroth turned away, bending to retrieve Cloud's sword from the cobblestones. Cloud sagged, whether in relief or disappointment, he didn't know. He took the sword from his teacher without meeting his eyes.  
  
"Tomorrow we work on your form in the morning." Sephiroth said. "In the afternoon, if your body is up to it, then we will try this again." Cloud nodded. He knew that no matter how sore he was, how battered he felt or how much his mother begged him to stay back and rest, he'd do it all again, just on the small chance that Sephiroth would stand that close to him again. He saluted weakly, his jaw too sore to form coherent words. Sephiroth nodded in reply and walked off towards his apartments. Cloud turned the opposite way and staggered towards the lower levels and the elevator that would take him down to the island proper where a chocobo waited to take him back home.  
  
o o o  
  
Vincent leaned on the balcony railing, watching Cloud limp off on the balcony below. The boy was improving, and Vincent wondered how long it would take before Sephiroth received the little surprise of his blood on Cloud's sword. Probably a shorter time than the general thought.  
  
Vincent's thoughts turned from the lesson he had observed to the events of the past few days. More than once, King Mickey had hinted to Vincent that he thought there was something more between the bodyguard and the mechanic. Vincent had shaken the comments off as foolish. But now, several hours after Mickey had left, alone in his thoughts, Vincent wondered. Cid seemed to occupy more than his fair share of Vincent's thoughts at any time of the day. The mechanic was always there, talking and laughing and helping Vincent to feel at ease in this world that was so similar to and completely different from the one Vincent remembered. The brunette wondered if Mickey had seen something Vincent had overlooked entirely.  
  
The object of Vincent's thoughts strode onto the balcony, his booted heels clacking against the stone. Cid leaned on the rail beside Vincent, breathing deeply of the spring air, watching the sun set before them. "Munny for your thoughts." He said, looking at the brunette.  
  
"They wouldn't be worth it." Vincent replied. He looked at Cid oddly when the mechanic picked up his gauntleted hand from the rail, tilting it in the light and examining it. Vincent frowned. "Highwind?"  
  
"Been wondering about this thing." Cid said. "Is it a prosthetic?"  
  
Vincent shook his head, politely pulling from Cid's grasp. "My hand is still beneath this." He said quietly. "But I will not take it off. Something will....happen if I do."  
  
"Like what?" Cid prodded.  
  
"I have no idea." Vincent replied. "I just know it would be bad. Maybe one day I'll grow brave enough to find out."  
  
"Why not today?" Cid asked, frowning a bit.  
  
"It is not time." Vincent said simply. He looked at the mechanic for a long moment. "Why do you ask now?" he questioned.  
  
Cid chuckled, shaking his head. "Nothing much." He said. "Only that I really didn't want to get clawed when I did this." Before Vincent could question him, Cid wrapped both arms around Vincent's waist, pulling him into a tight embrace. Vincent's eyes went wide as Cid pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I can't stop thinkin' about you." Cid whispered into Vincent's ear. "Every time I see you, I have to stop myself from doing just this. I can't help it."  
  
Vincent hesitated a brief moment before he settled his mismatched hands on Cid's back. "I understand how you feel." He replied quietly, returning the embrace. "Always, you invade my thoughts."  
  
Cid pulled back, his hands still at Vincent's waist. He bit his lip, bringing one hand up to gently push the brunettes' hair from his face. Slowly, almost shyly, their lips met, a feather-soft brush that made them both gasp softly. Cid hesitated slightly before capturing Vincent's lips with his own, a kiss as soft as it was sweet. Only a few seconds passed before they separated again, giving each other nervous half-smiles. "Maybe that King did see something after all." Cid murmured softly.  
  
Vincent smiled wryly. "Perhaps." He leaned forward and kissed Cid again, short and soft. "Come." He said quietly. "The others will be waiting for us to join them at dinner."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose so." Cid said, releasing his hold reluctantly. Relief and disappointment sang in his veins. He had been dying to hold Vincent like that for a long time. Now, at least he knew that he wouldn't get a claw in his leg or a gun in his ribs if he tried. Vincent smiled at him, briefly twining their hands together, then walked back into the castle. Cid watched him, memorizing every detail, then followed.  
  
o o o 


	8. Of Wolf and Man

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 8: Of Wolf and Man  
  
Off through the new day's mist I run  
  
Off from the new day's mist I have come  
  
We shift  
  
Pulsing with the earth  
  
Company we keep  
  
Roaming the land while you sleep  
  
o o o  
  
Spring passed into summer, with impromptu picnics in the middle of a field somewhere, with a trip on Sephiroth's boat to a nearby island to play on the beaches for a week, with cloud-watching and star-gazing on the balconies, with the massive fortress of blankets they made in Cid's workshop when several of the smaller children actually got lost on the maze of confiscated pillows and bed sheets. Then autumn, with the Harvest festival where a laughing Cid pulled an embarrassed Vincent on a stage to be crowned Harvest King, with stuffy-guys flanking every doorway in the city, with the sweet scents of fallen leaves and cut grasses and the last of the autumn fruits hanging in the air. Then winter again, with the snow- forts built wherever the snow was deep enough, with snowballs flying everywhere, with Ansem's bedroom one day mysteriously filling up with snow, floor to ceiling, and no one would take the blame, though many suspected Sephiroth of orchestrating the prank. And now, spring once more, with flowers appearing everywhere, including Vincent's bedside table when he awoke.  
  
Vincent idly twirled a wildflower between his fingers as he wondered how Cid could sneak into his room without waking him to deposit the flowers beside his bed. Such a small token touched the bodyguard. He slid liquidly from his bed, stretching his arms in the warm breeze issuing from his window. Quickly, he dressed, forsaking his cloak for once. The weather really was much too warm to be restricted. Breathing deeply of the spring air, he bound back his hair and left his room.  
  
Always an early riser, Vincent walked halls that were nearly empty. Once Nanaki and Reeve passed him, greeting him a good morning, and once a maid passed, bearing a tray laden with used dishes. Other than those three, Vincent didn't see another person until he reached Cid's workshop. He entered and looked around, greeting Shera, but did not see Cid. An arm wrapped around his waist from behind and a calloused hand tucked a flower behind his ear. "'Mornin', beautiful." Murmured a voice in his ear.  
  
Vincent turned with a smile on his lips to face the mechanic. Their relationship, whatever it was, was always being tested by both of them, rising from the first nervous touches to an easy blend of smiles and light contact and soft kisses. And, of course, flowers on the bedside in the morning. Vincent sometimes wondered if it would ever become more than that between them.  
  
Cid placed a light kiss on Vincent's lips, settling the flower firmly behind the brunette's ear, then released his hold on the taller man. The sweet mood was ruined most dramatically as Reeve shoved past them, Nanaki in hot pursuit, yelling something about his tail.  
  
"Hey!" Cid shouted as Reeve dove behind one of the Gummi-ships Cid had constructed in the past year. "Not in my shop!" He stalked off after them. Vincent sighed, half amused and half annoyed. One thing a person could always count on in the castle was for someone to walk by and ruin the mood.  
  
o o o  
  
Shape shift, nose to the wind  
  
Shape shift, feeling I've been  
  
Move swift, all senses clean  
  
Earth's gift, back to the meaning  
  
Of life  
  
o o o  
  
"By the stars, I love the spring." Cid said, almost reverently, closing his eyes and breathing in the rich scents of the season.  
  
Vincent stood beside Cid at the railing of a balcony, trying to enjoy the spring as well as ignore the shouts of the group behind them. Judging by the sounds of things, Cloud and Barrett had gotten into a scuffle and were having a grand time of trying to beat each other into the stone floor, cheered on by their friends. There was sudden silence and Vincent turned to see the cause. Sephiroth stood over the children, his eyes narrowed sharply. Cloud and Barrett were frozen in place, looking up. Vincent shook his head and turned his face back to the warm breezes.  
  
"Too much trouble to stop them?" Sephiroth asked, walking up beside Cid.  
  
Cid snorted. "Let 'em duke it out. It'll be good for 'em."  
  
Sephiroth shook his head, sending a ripple along his hair. "If you say so. But Ansem wishes to speak with you, Cid. Something about a malfunction in the Lift Stop."  
  
"Alrighty." Cid replied, turning away and walking towards the door back into the castle proper. Vincent and Sephiroth followed and were almost inside when a commotion started again. The three men looked back.  
  
Zell stood on the railing, his arms held out for balance. Slowly, wobbling, he began to walk along the rail. "Zell, get down!" Cloud said sharply. "You nutcase!"  
  
"Lookit him go!" Tifa said. "He's gonna make it all the way down."  
  
"Zell, get down now!" Sephiroth snapped.  
  
Zell made it to the end of the railing, then turned towards them all and bowed. As he straightened, a grin on his face, his feet slipped and he fell backwards off the railing, his grin turning into a scream.  
  
"ZELL!"  
  
Vincent never learned who had screamed the boy's name. He was running forward, his flesh hand twisting a band at the top of his gauntlet. The band released and he dropped the gauntlet to the floor. The hand that had been concealed under the gauntlet revealed itself to be misshapen, more of an animal's claw than a hand. A part of his mind that he didn't know existed knew exactly what it was doing, and that part made Vincent calmly jump the railing after the boy.  
  
o o o  
  
I feel a change  
  
Back to a better day (Shape shift)  
  
Hair stands on the back of my neck (Shape shift)  
  
In wildness is the preservation of the world  
  
So seek the wolf inside thyself  
  
o o o  
  
"Vincent!" Cid yelled, rushing to the rail and nearly tripping over the golden gauntlet on the floor. He clutched the rail trying to peer through the mist and knowing that the Rising Falls were below and that both Vincent and Zell were most likely dead.  
  
Suddenly the fog was ruptured by a great scarlet and black creature that held a much smaller blue and gold person. Cid's eyes went wide when he recognized the creature as Vincent, his pale hands transformed into great black claws and scarlet bat wings protruding from his back. The great wings flapped and Vincent, a frightened Zell clutching his neck, rose higher into the air. He circled once then landed roughly on the balcony. Hurriedly he released the boy, who scrambled away, and grabbed the golden gauntlet.  
  
With a snarl, Vincent shoved the glove on his left arm, turning the band with a hiss of pain. The wings slowly shrunk, melting into his back and leaving behind only smooth skin and his torn shirt. His right arm, black and deformed up past his elbow, turned back to its original color and shape. Vincent stayed kneeling on the floor, his right hand on the band of his gauntlet and his head bowed almost to his knees. His narrow chest heaved as he fought back the thing inside his head, the thing he had released when he removed the gauntlet.  
  
Cid and Sephiroth glanced at each other, then moved forward to kneel beside the prone bodyguard. Zell, it seemed, was only shaken, and was already being attended to by Tifa and Squall. Cid laid a careful hand on Vincent's back. "Vince-"  
  
"Don't touch me." Vincent hissed in a guttural voice, jerking away from Cid's touch. "Don't come near-"  
  
"Vincent, get a hold of yourself." Sephiroth said softly.  
  
"I'm trying," Vincent whispered roughly. "But it wants out so badly, and it's fighting me, and the gauntlet, and it wants out now, and it's ripping apart my mind-" He broke off, shuddering.  
  
"What is?" Sephiroth asked sharply. He held Vincent's shaking shoulder with one hand, trying to calm the older man. "What is tearing you apart?"  
  
Vincent looked up at him, fear and pain roiling in his eyes. But there was something else, something yellow and dead and greedy he was fighting to hold onto even as it shredded his sanity. "It has no heart." Vincent whispered, terrified, then his eyes rolled back and he passed out.  
  
o o o  
  
Shape shift, nose to the wind  
  
Shape shift, feeling I've been  
  
Move swift, all senses clean  
  
Earth's gift, back to the meaning (back to the meaning)  
  
Of Wolf and Man 


	9. The Unforgiven

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
A/N: LONG chapter this time. The story is surprisingly close to being done......  
  
Chapter 9: The Unforgiven  
  
New blood joins this earth  
  
And quickly he's subdued  
  
Through constant pain, disgrace  
  
The young boy learns their rules  
  
o o o  
  
Ansem checked the readout on an instrument with a frown. He passed the scanner once again over Vincent's prone body, watching the dial jump and quiver, never giving a clear reading. He sighed and set the scanner on the countertop, then rubbed absentmindedly at his temple. The last hour had been much of the same. Vincent had lain on the table, unmoving except for occasional twitches of his lips or his brows, all of Ansem's instruments had failed to give a clear reading, and two sets of eyes had remained glued on either Hollow Bastion's Lord or the prone body guard the entire time.  
  
Sephiroth sat on an empty counter, his normally icy demeanor broken by the fact that he kept toying with a ring he'd once received from his mother - a ring she had said had come from his father. Cid leaned on the counter beside the younger man, his arms crossed, his eyes rarely leaving Vincent's face. As Ansem's latest efforts came to naught, Cid huffed, earning himself a gold-eyed glare.  
  
Ansem bit back a scathing remark and sighed, closing his eyes a moment. "I'm sorry, Cid," he said patiently, "But nothing is registering correctly. Even something as simple as taking his pulse is sending me back something that seems to be two or more heartbeats together. And all of the other results are worse than that. And as annoying as it might be, I'm going to have to ask you again to tell me what happened. And leave out no details."  
  
Cid sighed in annoyance, fighting the urge to tell Ansem exactly where he could shove his observations. Loosing his temper wouldn't help Vincent in the least. "Zell fell." Cid said, somewhat grudgingly. "And Vincent yanked off his gauntlet and went after him. When he came back up, he had goddamn wings bigger than the one's on my Gummi-ship. He landed and let go of Zell, then shoved the gauntlet back on."  
  
"He said 'It wants out, it's fighting me, and the gauntlet'." Sephiroth said. "And that it was ripping apart his mind."  
  
Ansem frowned. "And anything else?"  
  
"He said 'It has no heart', and then he passed out." A frown crossed Sephiroth's face "He seemed....terrified."  
  
Ansem's frown deepened. This particular nugget of information was stuck in his head, chasing itself into mush, then popping back up. 'It has no heart', a transformation, his hands morphing into dark claws, a dead, yellow look in his eyes, no heart....  
  
....No heart?  
  
It was heart...less?  
  
Vincent's voice. _'He caught me off guard one day and did I don't even know what to me before locking me down in the Waterways.'_  
  
Lord Hojo.........who had studied the darkness and its effects - and was deeply jealous of Vincent Valentine.  
  
"I am such a FOOL!" Ansem exploded, making both Cid and Sephiroth jump. He stalked across his lab, away from the infirmary and into the place he conducted his experiments. He shifted through an assortment of instruments on a counter, then walked back, a number of scanners and meters in his arms. "Such a fool." He continued. "I should have known. My father enjoyed toying with the darkness far too much. It would not be below him to punish someone he hated with the darkness.... Get down, Sephiroth, I'll need that space." Sephiroth slid easily from the countertop and Ansem set his armful of instruments down, quickly and efficiently arranging them in neat rows. "That was the part that made me wonder.'It has no heart'. And what has no heart but a Heartless?"  
  
"A...Heartless?" Sephiroth asked.  
  
Ansem nodded, adjusting the dial on one of his scanners. "Do you remember the creatures of darkness that King Mickey spoke of?" He asked. Both of the others nodded. "I've given them the name of 'Heartless', because that is exactly what they are. Beings who have lost their hearts. My father was the first that I know of that discovered them. He never named them, but he knew what they were. And it would not be beyond him to punish his rival in such a way."  
  
"In what way?" Cid snapped.  
  
Ansem sighed heavily. He set down the scanner he was fiddling with and turned to face both of the other men. "By forcing a Heartless inside his body." He said grimly.  
  
"You mean that Vincent's a Heartless?" Sephiroth asked sharply.  
  
"No," Ansem said. "It would be too easy to take away Vincent's heart and make him a Heartless. It would also let him off too easy, in Hojo's opinion. But forcing a Heartless to share his body, his mind, his very soul, that would torment him to no end. I don't think Hojo even knew what would happen to him. The gauntlet, I imagine, was a precaution against the Heartless getting out and taking Hojo as well." He hefted the scanner again. "At the time, this is all theory, but with a few tests, I will be able to confirm all of this. But I will NOT do this with the two of you hovering over me like nursemaids." He raised his hand as both Cid and Sephiroth started to protest. "No," Ansem said firmly. "I'm pulling rank on you both. Out. Now."  
  
o o o  
  
Deprived of all his thoughts  
  
The young man struggles on and on he's known  
  
A vow unto his own  
  
That never from this day  
  
His will they'll take away  
  
o o o  
  
Cid stalked the hallway outside of Ansem's laboratory, fuming. Sephiroth leaned against the wall beside the lab's doorway in an inherited mimic of Vincent. At the end of the hallway, a cluster of young faces looked around the corner, but none of the children seemed brave enough to approach the angry mechanic.  
  
Cid paused, glaring at the closed door of the lab. "Goddamnit," He muttered harshly. "There's got to be something I can do to help!"  
  
Sephiroth knocked gently on the door. Ansem stuck his head out, looking disheveled. "How goes it?" Sephiroth asked softly.  
  
Ansem shook his head. "I've been trying to guess the true nature of the Heartless for a time now. But I do know now that my hypothesis was correct. Vincent is 'possessed', for lack of a better word, by a Heartless. Now, I can release the Heartless by removing the gauntlet-"  
  
Ansem's words were cut off when Cid grabbed the lapels of his shirt and, despite the fact that that he was a half foot shorter, lifted the High-Lord into the air, his toes barely brushing the floor. "Don't. You. Dare." Cid snarled, his eyes flaring. "Not while he's knocked out. Not while he doesn't know what's going on. If Vincent agrees, then fine, take it off." He dropped Ansem back to his feet. "But he was terrified and in pain from that thing, and he said that it was ripping apart his damn mind, for the love of the Planet. I won't risk it taking him over altogether without his consent, got me?"  
  
Ansem sighed carefully. "Highwind, if you can find a way to wake him up, by all means try. He hasn't moved once since you two brought him in. He's in some sort of coma, and nothing I have tried will wake him."  
  
"Let me see him." Cid said firmly. He glanced over at Sephiroth. "You too."  
  
o o o  
  
What I've felt  
  
What I've known  
  
Never shine through in what I've shown  
  
o o o  
  
Darkness........blank, with no landmarks, no direction, nothing to rest the eyes on. Except for it. The creature with the great wings and greedy, flat eyes and vicious claws that fought him for control. It had a band of gold trapping it, but it fought him still, for without his will holding it back, the band would be easily broken.  
  
It bit and clawed, ripping away at his will, his sanity, shredding his mind. Vincent cried out, his voice lost under the strange slither of the creature attacking him. Vincent was tired, so very tired, and wanted nothing more than to submit to the creature and stop the never-ending pain, but the thought of Cid, and Sephiroth, and Ansem, and all of the other's who had accepted him bolstered his will.  
  
_Cid......_  
  
A light pierced the darkness, a light and a voice. Two voices, and warmth. Care. The dark creature backed away from the light, hissing. Vincent moved towards the light, letting the voices wash over his tired mind.  
  
'Vince? C'mon, I know you can hear me.'  
  
'Vincent....father. We're here. Come back to us.'  
  
'We ain't giving up, Vince. Wake up, please.'  
  
Vincent reached towards the light.  
  
o o o  
  
Never be  
  
Never see  
  
Won't see what might have been  
  
o o o  
  
Cid sat on the bed beside Vincent, carefully holding Vincent's human hand between both of his own. Sephiroth sat on the other side, his hand resting on Vincent's shoulder. They both spoke quietly, trying to reach through to the body guard. Suddenly Vincent's hand tightened around Cid's. His brows drew together, then his eyes opened, startled and in pain. He tried to sit up and was held down by Sephiroth's hand on his shoulder. Vincent gasped softly, then relaxed, his eyes darting around the lab.  
  
"Vince?" Cid questioned gently. "Vince, can you hear me?"  
  
"Highwind?" Vincent muttered, his eyes scanning Cid's face as if trying to remember a long lost friend. "Where-"  
  
"Ansem's lab." Sephiroth said, drawing those searching eyes to his own face. "You're safe," He continued. "Do you remember what happened?"  
  
"Zell." Vincent said, his voice a dusty croak. "He fell, and I went after him. It knew what to do, and how to help me......it thought I would release it if it helped me......." He shivered, for a moment sounding like a child. "I couldn't let it go...it'd hurt people..........."  
  
"It won't hurt anyone." Cid promised. "We won't let it."  
  
Vincent's throat worked. "What...what is it?" He whispered.  
  
"A Heartless." Ansem said quietly from behind Sephiroth.  
  
A frown crossed Vincent's face, then realization. "Hojo." He said flatly.  
  
"It is somehow tied into your own Heart." Ansem continued. "I have no idea how he managed such a union, but he did."  
  
"Is there a way to remove it?" Vincent asked, moving to sit up again. When it seemed Sephiroth was going to stop him again, he glared at the younger man until he relented. Vincent ran a distracted hand through his hair and looked at Ansem.  
  
Ansem sighed. "I don't know." He said. "I can release it, but I may not be able to remove it. There may be a way, but there is also a chance that it will rip your heart along with it."  
  
Vincent frowned, silently studying the lines of his gauntlet. "How intelligent are these things?" he asked.  
  
"There are smaller Heartless," Ansem said "That have the mentality of say, a young child. Some of the larger varieties have much more than that. Not as much as any one of us, but enough to be cunning - and dangerous."  
  
Vincent's frown deepened, his brows drawing together. "Enough to communicate?"  
  
"I just don't know."  
  
Vincent studied his gauntlet again, silent. "It......is aware." He said after a long moment. "It pays attention to anything that raises high emotions in me. Fear....pain....anger, they all make it excited. It is pushed back when I am happy, or content." He shook his head slowly. "I....always knew that something was there in the back of my mind, feeding off my emotions, but I ignored it as an after effect of my long sleep. I never thought, or didn't want to think, that it could be a sentient being." He sighed deeply. "I was so blind to it all...."  
  
"None of it was your fault, Vince." Cid said firmly.  
  
Ansem looked away for a moment, then back at Vincent. "Do you think we would be able to communicate with it if we released it?" He asked quietly.  
  
Vincent looked up at him, his eyes narrowed sharply. Ansem bore the sharp scrutiny without flinching. After a moment Vincent closed his eyes, seeking out the creature in the back of his mind. It snarled, sending a brief wave of pain through his temples, but was there intelligence in that snarl? He thought there was. He opened his eyes again and nodded. Cid made an inarticulate noise of protest beside him, drawing Vincent's gaze. "I cannot risk it escaping and harming any of you, Highwind." He said quietly and firmly. "If any of you are able to communicate with it, it may give you a way to release it from my heart."  
  
Cid scowled. "Fine. But I don't have to like it."  
  
o o o  
  
They dedicate their lives  
  
To running all of his  
  
He tries to please them all  
  
This bitter man he is  
  
o o o  
  
Vincent shivered, looking around the room that was so much like a cage. The walls, Ansem told him, were three feet of solid stone. There was one door, a thick, heavy thing of metal banded stone, and a three foot square opening set with two inch thick bars of orichalcum spaced three inches apart. There was no furniture, no comfort. He sighed, turning to look at Cid, who stood just inside the heavy door, his arms crossed and his eyes worried. The mechanic opened his mouth to speak, and Vincent held up a hand to silence him. "No, Highwind." He said firmly. "I must do this."  
  
Cid sighed, dropping his arms and walking over to Vincent. Ignoring the gazes of both Sephiroth and Ansem at the door, he pulled Vincent into his arms, placing a gentle kiss on the corner of his lips. "I'm sorry all this shit had to happen." He said quietly.  
  
"So am I." Vincent replied. Taking a step back, he twisted the band of his gauntlet and pulled the golden metal from his deformed hand. Cid took the gauntlet and hurriedly left the room, helping Sephiroth tug the great door shut.  
  
Vincent heard the heavy bolt latch, but only on the very surface of his mind. His senses were all trained on the sensation of his skin stretching, of the bones in his shoulders rippling and shifting, of the feel of his teeth lengthening in his gums. There was no pain, but the creature in his mind was roaring in triumph, rushing forward, shoving Vincent back into the secondary position in their shared mind, reducing him to a helpless observer. From what felt like a million miles away, Vincent watched his hands turn dark, his clothes ripping away from his body as his muscles bulged and his limbs lengthened.  
  
Cid watched in horror as Vincent transformed from slim and pale to large and bulky and black-skinned. Great scarlet wings stretched from t he creature's back, the wingtips nearly touching the opposite walls in the large room. Its eyes were dead yellow, without pupil or iris. It looked at the three faces clustered in the window, horribly alive, horribly _aware_, and snarled, launching itself forward with wickedly curves claws unsheathed and fangs gleaming. It struck the window and wild sparks of white magic flared up, making it scream. It backed away, shaking its injured hands in an oddly human gesture. It bared its teeth at them, hissing.  
  
All three men had drawn away from the window when the burning-bright magical shield had flared up. Now Ansem stepped forward again, his handsome face grim. "Can you understand me?" He asked. "Do you know what I am saying?"  
  
The creature snarled and stuck up one fist, popping out the middle finger. Cid blinked in surprise. This horrific being.....was flicking them off. The mechanic felt a surge of helpless anger. But the crude gesture did do one thing. They knew it understood.  
  
Ansem's ruddy gold eyes narrowed. "I asked you a question, Heartless." He said coldly. "I expect a verbal answer."  
  
The Heartless threw back it's head and laughed. Suddenly, without warning, they heard it, not with their ears but their minds.  
  
_You're a fool, human. You should not have let me loose._  
  
"How were you created?" Ansem asked out loud, never taking his eyes from the being in the room.  
  
_That's a question only a dead man can answer. But I am not like those Heartless you have below this place. I am so much more....alive._  
  
Sephiroth looked sharply at Ansem, his eyes narrowing. Ansem ignored his brother. "Where is Vincent?" He asked.  
  
_Right here, within me as I was within him_. It paused, cocking it's head to the side in a listening gesture, again looking eerily human. _He is angry, far more angry than he has ever been. Oh, how delicious.  
_  
"Bastard!" Cid snapped.  
  
The thing's yellow eyes focused on him, narrowing._ I don't like you. You make him happy.  
_  
"And I don't like you." Cid retorted. "You smell like a dead dog."  
  
The creature snarled, again attacking the window. The shield flared brighter this time, crackling, but all three men on the outside clearly saw the creature's clawed hands wrapped around the bars in the window, shaking them madly. Then it was backing away again, rubbing it's hands together, which were burnt even blacker by Ansem's shield._ I hate you, oh how I hate you. It's mental voice whined like that of a child. I hate you, hate you, hate you and I will taste your heart between my teeth.  
_  
Sephiroth stared at it flatly. "We'll kill you, first." He said coldly.  
  
_Would you kill your precious Vincent?_ It's voice turned hatefully mocking. _Kill your dear father, one of the few people you care about in that cold stone you call a hea-_  
  
"Shut up!" Sephiroth hissed, his voice laced with dangerous venom, his eyes blazing with cold emerald fire.  
  
Cid looked at him in surprise, Ansem with a measure of fear. Cid had never seen Sephiroth lose any of his steadfast control, but Ansem clearly remembered him as a boy of only ten, his face tight with murderous rage as Masamune tasted Hojo's flesh. From the way the young man looked now, Masamune would soon find out what a Heartless tasted like. He dropped a hand to his half-brother's shoulder, not liking how tense it felt. "Calm yourself." He said quietly, trying to keep any fear from his own voice. "If you do anything rash," He continued. "You would be no better than it." Sephiroth's eyes flickered towards him for a moment, then back at the creature. Ansem didn't remove his hand until he felt some on the tension leave the younger man.  
  
His lips tight, Ansem turned back towards the creature, angrier than he could remember being in a long time. He knew some Heartless were cunning, and dangerous, but never had he seen one that was this cruelly intelligent. An idea struck him and he walked up to the window. "What does the gauntlet do?" He asked, almost conversationally.  
  
The reaction was immediate and violent. The shield flared as the Heartless attacked it for the third time. It screamed, both out loud and in their heads, a wild, inarticulate sound of rage and fear that echoed through the halls of the great castle. _YOU WILL NOT BIND ME AGAIN! OH, YOU FILTHY HUMANS, YOU WILL NOT TRAP ME AGAIN, YOU BASTARDS! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!  
_  
Ansem nodded calmly, as if this was the reaction he had expected and turned away from the window, picking up the gauntlet from the table Cid had dropped it on. The Heartless shrieked again, it's great wings flapping hard enough to send a breeze whistling through the window. Ansem ignored it, examining the gauntlet carefully. From a distance, it appeared to be smooth metal, unadorned, but closer inspection revealed shallow runes carved around the edges of the metal plates. Ansem carefully ran his finger along the carvings, whispering a spell. The runes flared fire-bright, enabling him to read them easily. "I will return soon." He said, not pulling his eyes from the runes. "Watch him, and inform me of any change." He walked around a corner, back into the laboratory proper.  
  
Cid perched himself in the edge of the table, staring through the window at the Heartless creature. It crouched in the center of the room, seething, it's claws digging at the floor, it's wings wrapped around it's shoulders and it's dead-alive eyes glaring sullenly out at them. It's mental voice had fallen silent. Cid sighed heavily. "I'll watch him, Sephiroth." He said. "You look like y'need t' get the hell out of here for a while." Sephiroth nodded tightly and left. Cid looked at the Heartless, his lips quirking into a humorless smirk. "Jus' you an' me, ugly."  
  
_Fuck you, human._  
  
o o o  
  
Throughout his life the same  
  
He's battled constantly  
  
This fight he cannot win  
  
The tired man they see no longer cares  
  
o o o  
  
"Heartless below the castle?"  
  
Ansem looked up sharply. Sephiroth stood before him, arms crossed, eyes fixed on his half-brother. Ansem sighed, turning his eyes back to the gauntlet. "How do you think I know so much about them?" He asked shortly. "I studied them, experimented on them, and confined them to the Waterways to observe them. That is also why I banned anyone from the Waterways for the past few months. They cannot escape from the waterways with the shields I have put up."  
  
"You seem very confident." Sephiroth said coolly. "Where, pray tell, did they come from?"  
  
"People who have lost their hearts." Ansem replied brusquely.  
  
"What people?"  
  
Ansem didn't look up, concentrating on the gauntlet. "Does it matter?" He asked, his voice implying that he would like the conversation to end.  
  
"It does, because I am charged with protecting the people of this world." Sephiroth said, just as coldly. "If something is taking their hearts, I need to know."  
  
Ansem was quiet for a time longer than Sephiroth was comfortable with. "I look for them," He said finally. "I have designed sensors that allow me to look for them, usually in dark, deserted places. I transport them here. I am unable to determine how they lose their hearts." He looked up, his eyes booking no argument - the conversation was closed.  
  
"Next time, I will come with you on one of these 'excursions'." Sephiroth said flatly. He turned on his heel and left.  
  
o o o  
  
The old man then prepares  
  
To die regretfully  
  
The old man here is me  
  
o o o  
  
Ansem sighed tiredly, rubbing his eyes with one hand. His normally immaculate robes were rumbled and his hair was pulled back in a haphazard ponytail that sent straggling strands of hair across his face. He felt tired and filthy, and wondered for the umpteenth time if this whole ordeal would ever end.  
  
_Give up yet, human?_  
  
"Shut up." Ansem muttered, feeling as sulky as a child. He had spent the last two days without sleep, deciphering the spells carved into the gauntlet, and finding a way to strengthen them. He was convinced, after observing the heartless-being and performing a few tests, that it was impossible to remove it from Vincent without removing his heart as well. He also had found that the heart Vincent and the creature shared could not be taken by another Heartless. The last few days had given him a good deal of information of how a Heartless and a human could coincide, but it had also been a tremendous strain. Once he had decided that he was simply going to strengthen the spells in the gauntlet until Vincent would have almost total control over the Heartless, it had pestered him non-stop. Curses, taunts and threats had filled his mind without end, making it very difficult to focus and even more difficult to sleep. Now, the only problem that remained was getting the gauntlet back on the Heartless.  
  
_Give it up. You shall die if you step one foot within this room.  
_  
"We shall see." Ansem growled. He picked up the gauntlet and turned towards the small group behind him. Cid stood with his arms crossed, looking like he had no rest in a week. Beside him stood Sephiroth, cool and still unruffled, despite the fact that he had spent almost all of the past two days outside the Heartless' room. Cloud stood beside his teacher, his sword drawn and his face tight with fear. "This shall be simple enough, if you all do as I say." Ansem said, fighting the urge to lean tiredly against the wall. "I shall cast a spell to hold the Heartless, though it will only be for a short time. You three will enter, and get the gauntlet back on it's arm. You will have a little less than two minutes, then you must get out, no matter what. If you fail to get it on it, then come back, but do not leave the gauntlet behind. Understand?" They all nodded and Ansem handed Cid the gauntlet, stepping up to the window.  
  
Cloud wrapped his hands around the handle of the thick deadbolt on the door, ready to open it when Ansem gave the signal. Ansem's hands wove the air in intricate patterns as he chanted under his breath. The Heartless began to scream again. After a moment of chanting, Ansem brought both hands together tightly, as if gripping something between them. He nodded, his eyes tightly shut, and Cloud pulled open the door.  
  
Cid entered the room, followed closely by Sephiroth. The Heartless was in the center of the room, frozen with it's wings outstretched and it's mouth open in a soundless scream. Then they realized that it was not completely frozen; it's hands moved slowly, it's wings were slowly furling to it's back, and it's mouth was closing.  
  
_NO! Oh, you BASTARDS, you will NOT! You will NOT! Oh, I shall kill you rip you apart, drink your blood and eat your hearts and shred your flesh from you bones, you filthy HUMANS!_  
  
Sephiroth grabbed the creature's left arm, suppressing a cringe at the dead- alive leathery feel of the skin in his hands. It resisted as he pulled it back, gritting his teeth with the effort. He was very aware of the creature's fanged mouth very near his face. Once he had the arm outstretched, Cid jammed the gauntlet over it, forcing it down over the thing's fingers. He twisted the band and his head was nearly split by the pained scream of the Heartless and nearly blinded by the bright flare of magic from the golden metal. He stumbled out, his hands clapped uselessly over his ears, Sephiroth close behind as Cloud swung the heavy door shut.  
  
As soon as the door shut, Ansem dropped the holding spell. The Heartless thrashed and writhed in agony on the floor, it's buzzing scream drilling through all of their heads. It struggled for long minutes, clawing at the gauntlet with it's free hand. Finally, the screams began to taper and the thing's purple-black skin began to slowly pale, it's bulging muscles slimming. Ebony hair burst from it's skull and tumbled down it's back as it's eyes slowly went from yellow to red. The great wings sank into it's back, leaving behind pale, unmarked skin. Minutes that lasted eternities passed before the Heartless was completely gone, leaving a naked, shivering, unconscious Vincent on the floor of the room.  
  
Sephiroth wrenched back the bolt on the door, ignoring Ansem's sharp warning, and stepped inside the room. Kneeling beside Vincent, he slid his arms beneath his limp body and lifted him easily from the floor. "Cloud," he said, carrying Vincent towards the door. "Go to Vincent's room and find a clean change of clothes." Cloud nodded and ran off. Sephiroth carefully laid Vincent out on the table, stroking the brunette's hair from his face with a tenderness he didn't know he had. He looked up, meeting Cid's pained eyes, then Ansem's, which were emotionless. With a sigh, he arranged Vincent into a more comfortable position and waited for Cloud to return.  
  
o o o  
  
What I've felt  
  
What I've known  
  
Never shined through in what I've shown  
  
Never free  
  
Never me  
  
So I dub thee unforgiven. 


	10. Unforgiven II

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatant screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
A/N: For anyone that wants to complain that Vin's Heartless don't act like one, the Heartless within Vincent is supposed to be a mix of a true Heartless and the Chaos demon. Kinda freaky, but I always liked the idea of Chaos speaking to everyone mentally.  
  
Chapter 10: Unforgiven II  
  
Lay beside me, tell me what they've done  
  
Speak the words I wanna hear, to make my demons run  
  
The door is locked now, but it's open if you're true  
  
If you can understand the me, than I can understand the you  
  
o o o  
  
Cid worked his hands beneath Vincent's limp body and easily lifted him from the bed. The unconscious man made an indistinct groggy noise, his gauntleted arm dangling. His boots and cloak had been taken back to his room some time before and he wore a simple shirt and pants. Cid carefully made his way out of the room, hardly hearing Ansem's' warnings to be careful and gentle. It was late, and the great hallways were empty as Cid carried Vincent back to his room, having just spent the last few hours watching over Vincent carefully as Ansem ran a few final tests.  
  
"I can walk, you know." Cid nearly dropped Vincent in shock as the brunette spoke, his voice barely sleepy. "But you'll insist on carrying me, so I won't bother to argue."  
  
"How you feeling?" Cid asked softly, walking down a staircase.  
  
"Like I was hit with the nastiest sleep spell on the Planet." Vincent replied, resting his gauntlet across his stomach. "I didn't kill anyone, did I?"  
  
Cid shook his head as they turned a corner. "Scared the hell out of me, though. I didn't think we could get you to change back."  
  
"That scared you?" Vincent asked quietly, looking up at the mechanic.  
  
"More than anything." Cid replied firmly as he stopped in front of Vincent's room. Vincent reached out and turned the doorknob with his human hand. Cid stepped into the room, closed the door with one foot, and deposited Vincent of the bed. He sat beside the taller man and gently cupped his face in both hands. "It scared me because I thought I might've lost you for good." he said, his voice softer than Vincent could remember. "The last thing I want is to lose you."  
  
Vincent had to look away from the fierce look in Cid's eyes. "You should fear and hate me." He said quietly. "I am a Heartless, a creature of dark."  
  
"Bullshit." Cid replied, his hands bringing Vincent's face to look at him. "You have a Heartless within you, you're not one yourself. I couldn't be in love with someone without a heart."  
  
Vincent's eyes widened at the word 'love'. "Love?" he asked, his voice a whisper.  
  
"Of course, you idiot." Cid said. "I love you, Vincent, with all my blasted heart, and I really don't care what you have living in your head." He leaned forward, capturing Vincent's lips in a kiss more passionate and bold than any they had shared up to then.  
  
Vincent's eyes went wide, his mind whirling. Cid....loved him?  
  
o o o  
  
Lay beside me, this won't hurt I swear  
  
She loves me not, she loves me still, but she'll never love again  
  
She lay beside me, But she'll be there when I'm gone  
  
Black heart scarring darker still, yes she'll be there when I'm gone  
  
o o o  
  
He broke the kiss gently, staying close enough that their lips brushed when he spoke. "I don't know if a Heartless can love someone." He whispered.  
  
"If that's the case, then I'll have to show you how." Cid breathed. "Just don't leave...."  
  
"I couldn't .......if I....... tried......" Vincent replied, sinking into Cid's lips again. He felt himself pulled up, and clutched at Cid's shoulder, eager for as much contact as he could get. Cid felt like strength and protection and overwhelming love, holding him in a firm embrace as their lips tangled and their lungs ached from lack of air. Gods, this was beyond heaven.  
  
Vincent's head hit the pillow before he realized the kiss was broken. Cid propped himself on his hands above the brunette, steel-blue eyes devouring the sight of him. The mechanic reached down, his hand trembling like a nervous child, to unbutton the top of Vincent's shirt. Vincent allowed the mechanic to remove his shirt, slow and careful, afraid to most fast lest he break the moment.  
  
Vincent felt like a virgin again, shaky and eager, fear and want roiling behind his eyes. Every time Cid touched him, fire sang in his veins. Gods, not even Lucretia had woken such pure want in his body. He tugged Cid's shirt off him, running his mismatched hands over his firm body. Cid shivered beneath the touch and Vincent pulled him close again, want and need and desire pouring from one to the other through their warring lips and tongues. Vincent dimly realized that the point of no return had passed, that neither of them could stop if they wanted and he didn't care in the least.  
  
o o o  
  
Lay beside me, tell me what I've done  
  
The door is closed, so are you're eyes  
  
But now I see the sun, now I see the sun  
  
Yes now I see it  
  
o o o  
  
Cid watched Vincent sleep, his eyes memorizing every feature he could. The gunman had his flesh hand and one leg slung carelessly and possessively across Cid's body and legs. More than anything, he seemed at peace.  
  
Cid's eyelids wanted to droop, but he kept his gaze on Vincent, half fearing that if he slept he'd wake up to find it all a dream. There was nothing more that he wanted than to stay with the man he held for the rest of his life.  
  
"Go to sleep, Highwind." Vincent muttered, his words half muffled by Cid's shoulder. "I can't sleep with your eyes on me all night. I'll still be here in the morning."  
  
A wry smile crossed Cid's lips. Trust Vincent to hit on the very problem. He kissed the top of Vincent's head and settled back into the pillows, bound and determined to never, ever let go.  
  
o o o  
  
What I've felt, what I've known  
  
Turn the pages, turn the stone  
  
Behind the door, should I open it for you....  
  
o o o  
  
Cid opened his eyes to meet rich scarlet. He smiled groggily, sitting up and scratching his head. Vincent watched him with some amusement, the sheets draped across his lap and his hair unbound down his back. "G'Mornin'" Cid said through a yawn.  
  
"I told you I'd be here." Vincent replied.  
  
"Never doubted ya." Cid said, grinning. A thought crossed his mind and he reached over the side of the bed, fishing for his pants. He found the garment and sat up, searching through the pockets before finding the small box. "Here," He said. "I've been meanin' t' give you this for a while now." He handed Vincent the box.  
  
For a single, wild second Vincent thought Cid had given him an engagement ring. But whatever was in the box rattled slightly, which rings didn't do. He raised a brow at Cid and opened the box.  
  
Twin silver ankhs, the symbol of eternal life, rested on a bed of cotton. Tiny wings stretched out over the arms of each cross and each loop was set with a perfectly clear stone. A fine chain was attached to the top of each one. Vincent ran his finger along the upright of one, feeling finely carved patterns beneath his skin, and the tiny wings fluttered slightly. Each one was shorter than his little finger. "One for each of us?" He asked softly.  
  
"If you want it." Cid replied, watching him. Vincent carefully lifted one of the ankhs and held it up, the chain falling over his wrist. He studied it for a moment before fastening it around his neck. The stone flashed for a second before turning brilliant ruby. The carvings in the silver darkened slightly, falling into deeper contrast. The wings arched slightly, sharpening in appearance.  
  
Vincent looked up at Cid with a frown. Cid had put on his own ankh and the stone had turned steel-blue, the metal taking a goldish tinge. He leaned forward and ran his finger along the chain around Vincent's neck, barely grazing the skin beneath. "It suits you." he said.  
  
Vincent leaned forward and brushed his lips against Cid's. "Thank you." He murmured.  
  
o o o  
  
What I've felt, what I've known  
  
Sick and tired, I stand alone  
  
Could you be there, 'cause I'm the one who waits for you  
  
Or are you unforgiven too? 


	11. King Nothing

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 11: King Nothing  
  
Wish I may  
  
Wish I might  
  
Have this wish tonight  
  
Are you satisfied?  
  
o o o  
  
Sephiroth idly fingered a lock of his hair, weaving it between his fingers as he read over the latest messages sent in from a number of outlying islands. His outward appearance suggested he was bored, but inside he was quite agitated. Starting two years before, people had begun disappearing from their homes. At first it was just a few people from within the city, but it slowly spread, both in area and the number of people gone missing. They just vanished, without a trace, without a struggle, without witnesses. It had started with elderly people who lived alone, and now whole families were disappearing at a time.  
  
But that wasn't the only trouble. Reports were coming in that described black creatures with yellow eyes. Heartless. Sephiroth had no doubt that the two were connected, but no one had mentioned seeing any Heartless near the areas the people vanished from. Again he turned over the thought that Ansem was keeping Heartless down in the bowels of the castle. Simply by not allowing Sephiroth to kill the creatures in the castle, Ansem was putting all of his peoples in danger. But Ansem also claimed that 'his' Heartless could not escape from the castle.  
  
Frustrated, the warrior stood, neatly sweeping his reports into a pile and filing them away in a drawer of his desk. He was tired of sitting on his arse and staring at papers that all pointed at the simple fact that Heartless were attacking people. He pulled open the door to his office and neatly caught the paper that fluttered down from where it had been wedged between the door frame and door. He instantly recognized the slanting, tight handwriting as Vincent's.  
  
_S  
  
Cid and I are going down to the 7th Heaven for a time. You need a rest. Come join us for a drink.  
  
VV  
_  
Sephiroth felt a smile tugging at his lips. In the three years since Vincent had been found in the Waterways, he and Cid had examined every bar and pub in the city and claimed the 7th Heaven as the best. Saturday nights could often find the two sitting at a table in the corner and more often than not they invited Sephiroth to escape his royal duties and join them. And some nights, when he was curious or bored or simply lonely, he joined them. Tonight, when he was frazzled and in need of some relaxation, it sounded wonderful. He ducked back into his office, grabbed his coat, and left, striding quickly down the halls as he pulled his coat on over his arms. Yes, a night with good company and even better drink sounded just fine.  
  
o o o  
  
Dig for gold  
  
Dig for fame  
  
You dig to make your name  
  
Are you pacified?  
  
o o o  
  
"Alright." Cloud said firmly, nodding. "Let's go for it." Squall, standing before him, looked at Cloud with a strange mix of exasperation and excitement that he tried to hide behind an uncaring face. The brunette had finally convinced Cloud to show him how to _summon_, to draw his own personal weapon from the core of his being. Summon-weapons were the perfect weapon for the summoner, drawn from their own skills and fighting talents. They often changed over the years, starting with something simple and often bulky, a visual representation of the summoners' skill. As time went by, the weapon became easier to summon, and took a more finished form. As the fighter's skills increased, the weapon changed to suit them.  
  
More than anything, Squall wanted to learn to summon his own weapon, whatever form it might take. Cloud had been the most readily available teacher. The blond boy was becoming quite proficient at summoning his sword, a large and flat thing that looked impossible to wield easily. As younger kids, the four-year age difference had meant little to them; they both possessed an adventurer's spirit that made them fast friends and strong allies. Both were fast and strong and very stubborn. But the difference was that Cloud had been taken by Sephiroth for training, and Squall had not. That was all, and that was everything. Squall had tried very hard to ignore the jealousy he felt when Cloud talked about his training, but not knowing how to summon bothered him until he finally made himself ask Cloud to teach him. Now they stood in a small, closed in stone courtyard behind Cloud's house, empty of all but them.  
  
"You ready?" Cloud asked the smaller boy, his arms crossed across his chest.  
  
"Are you?" Squall retorted.  
  
"Yeah. Okay, close your eyes." Cloud commanded. "Clear your mind of everything. Focus on your breathing." Squall did as he was told, breathing in for a count of seven, holding it for a seven-count, then slowly releasing his breath in a seven-count. He focused his mind on the sensations of breathing and Cloud's voice, the way Sephiroth had taught the older kids some time ago. His mind cleared of all thoughts and he slowly nodded, still breathing in sevens.  
  
"Think of what the word 'fight' means to you." Cloud said quietly, standing just behind Squall's left shoulder. He hoped he was doing it right. An uncle had taught him to summon this way when he was eleven; he hoped he was a good enough teacher for Squall to learn. He leaned closer, speaking almost directly into the younger boy's ear. "Think about how you fight, how you feel when you do, how it feels when one of your shots connects..."  
  
Squall's brows were drawn together, his fists clenched by his sides. His mind played over a fist fight he'd had with Zell a few days before. Zell was getting good, having started taking lesson's from Zangan with Tifa recently, but Squall had given the hyperactive boy a run for his money. He remembered each punch, each kick, how it felt to land a blow on Zell's body, how it felt to take Zell's blows, how he knew, knew that it would be so much better if he had something in his hands, something sleek and powerful. Not a sword like Cloud and Sephiroth, not a gun like Vincent used, something that was more, that was somehow both.....  
  
Cloud's eyes darted from Squall's face to his right fist. A soft swirl of steel-blue appeared around the tightly clenched hand, condensing and lengthening, becoming something solid and bulky and sword-shaped, but the haft was wrong, bent as if broken. But it wasn't broken, he realized, it was shaped like the butt of one of Vincent's handguns even as a blade-shape condensed above it....  
  
_Gunblade....  
_  
Squall's eyes snapped open as the word thundered through his mind. He held....something in his right hand, something that felt like it should be heavy but somehow wasn't. He looked, his eyes going wide. He held what seemed to be a large pistol, but instead of a barrel it flattened and extended into a long blade. Examining it, he saw that there was a barrel, mounted above the blade. It was all very blocky and unrefined, a roughly carved piece of art that was only waiting for the right sculptor to come along and add the finishing touches. _I'm that sculptor_, he thought, almost calmly.  
  
"What the hell is that?" Cloud breathed. He raised one hand as if to touch the strange weapon, but dropped it again. He had never seen such an odd weapon, but it looked right in Squall's hands, somehow perfect. _The weapon suits the wielder_, he thought wildly.  
  
"A gunblade." Squall said slowly, liking the way the word rolled off his tongue. "I've never seen one, or even heard of one, but...." He trailed off, wondering if Sephiroth had felt like this, if the word Masamune had thundered through his head as he drew the great sword from the air and himself the first time. A quick grin crossed his face. "I finally did it." He said proudly.  
  
"Hell yeah, ya did." Cloud said, leaning closer to inspect the pistol end without touching it. Engrossed as he was, he didn't hear the slither-step behind him until it was almost too late. He whirled around, his sword already forming in his hand as he turned towards the disturbance. What he saw made his blood run cold.  
  
Four small beings, each the size of a small child, each a pure inky black marked only by a pair of dead-alive yellow eyes, were shuffling towards the two boys, antennae twitching atop their heads. Cloud's eyes went wide, a sudden memory of the Heartless Vincent had transformed into slamming into his head. A year and a half after the transformation and Cloud still had the occasional nightmare about dead-alive yellow eyes in the dark. Now, in the fading gloom of a fall day, those yellow eyes had increased from two to eight, and were spreading out. _They're flanking us_, he thought wildly.  
  
Squall's eyes went wide and he clenched at the weapon in his hand. "Are those....?" He breathed.  
  
"Heartless." Cloud confirmed with a tight nod. He adjusted his grip on his sword, widening his stance. "Want a chance to test out that gun-sword thing, squirt?" He asked, a humorless grin on his face.  
  
"Screw you, blondie." Squall replied. He turned, placing his back against Cloud's as two of the Heartless shuffled around behind him. "And yes, I do want to try it out." He hefted the Gunblade, testing its perfect weight in his hands. Unrefined or not, this thing was going to be a breeze to use. A grin that mirrored Cloud's own rose on his face, a grin that looked so much like a hungry animal baring it's teeth. A warrior's grin.  
  
The Heartless shuffled for a moment, then two leapt forward, one at Cloud, one at Squall. Squall watched the Heartless approach as if in slow-motion, then braced his gunblade against one narrow hip. The creature was impaled on the upturned blade but was still reaching for him, attempting to claw at his face. Smirking, he pulled the trigger. An explosive bullet caught the Heartless right in the face, ripping it's head off. The creature disappeared in a black swirl of smoke and a whirling red, crystalline heart that twirled twice and disappeared up into nothing. Squall stared at it, opened mouthed, before he realized that the second Heartless he was facing was coming up to him. He stabbed down, catching it in it's side, then twisted around, slicing at it's waist, pulling the trigger as he connected, sending another swirl of smoke and twirling heart into the air.  
  
Cloud swung his sword up, catching his Heartless in midair. It flew back, an ebony gouge ripped along it's torso. It struck one of the stone walls of the courtyard and fell, then got up again, the gouge closing in a blue- black swirl. Cloud grit his teeth at the Heartless as it got up, apparently fine. He swung low, catching the second Heartless in the legs, then aimed for his first Heartless' head. It seemed to melt, turning into a scrabbling shape moving across the ground. As it stood up again, Cloud swiped it's head off, then turned to finish off the second one. Both disappeared, the hearts twirling off into nothing.  
  
Grinning again, Cloud turned to Squall just as the younger boy's second shot rang out. "You like it?" He asked a bit breathlessly.  
  
"Hell yeah!" Squall replied. "Even better than I thought it was going to be."  
  
Cloud laughed, but it was cut short by the slither-step of a Heartless. He turned around, his eyes going wide. The courtyard was reached by a narrow alley that curved around the house. The dark opening of the alley was currently full of hungry yellow eyes, without pupil or iris, some of then quite a bit bigger, or higher off the ground, than the little Heartless were. At least a dozen pairs of eyes looked out of the shadowy alley at them, all emotionless except for one urge - hunger.  
  
"Oh shit...."  
  
_Help...please_, he thought wildly._ Sephiroth, anyone._  
  
o o o  
  
Hard and cold  
  
Bought and sold  
  
A heart as hard as gold  
  
Are you satisfied?  
  
o o o  
  
Sephiroth walked down the street, his hands deep in the pockets of his coat and his hair tucked under his coat collar. He didn't want to be recognized and stopped, only relaxed and comfortable.  
  
_Help....._  
  
The young man stopped in his tracks as the word sighed in his mind in Cloud's voice. He knew that there was some connection between the two of them, some bond deeper than master and apprentice, but was it deep enough to hear the boy's thoughts?  
  
_Sephiroth, anyone._  
  
Twisting on his heel, Sephiroth sprinted across the street, easily jumping a cart drawn by a tired chocobo and took off down one of the side streets, heading for Cloud's home. He concentrated on the boy and the image of black shadows and yellow eyes floated across his mind like an old memory. He took a tight corner, his hand briefly bracing himself on the ground before continuing his mad dash, scattering people and jumping or dodging what didn't move fast enough, his hair free of his collar and streaming out behind him like a banner of silver. His mind whirled at the half-formed images of Heartless and fear that crossed to him from Cloud.  
  
Taking a final turn, Sephiroth found himself in the alley that led to the courtyard, drawing Masamune from the air and cursing to himself as he realized that he didn't have the room he needed. Black shadow-shapes with yellow eyes blocked his way and he leapt up, grasping the edge of the roof above and hauling himself up one-handed, Masamune in the other hand. Looking down into the courtyard, he saw it filled with a little over a dozen Heartless, most of them the small childish ones. But some were bigger, with what appeared to be metal helms on their heads and long red claws. Cloud and Squall were backed against the far wall, Cloud with his sword, Squall with a strange gun-sword.  
  
Sephiroth leapt into the air, his cloak lifting around him like a pair of wings, and came down in the middle of the Heartless. A turn, a low sweep of his blade, and half of the creatures fell to Masamune's bite. Another five Heartless issued out of the alley to join those still left in the courtyard, all converging on the warrior in their midst. The great sword whistled shrilly in the air, biting deep into black shapes and reducing them to smoke as Sephiroth twisted like a dancer or a dream. Crystalline hearts floated into the air in a cloud, casting a brief blood-red glow over the courtyard. Then the last Heartless was gone and the alley was empty.  
  
Cloud had frozen when he saw the great black shape in the sky, convinced that it was an even larger Heartless coming for them. Then it had landed, not a Heartless but Sephiroth, whirling with graceful deadliness. Once the last Heartless was gone, the spell over the boys snapped and they fell to their knees, breathing heavily as their respective Summon-weapons dissipated. Squall shivered, hugging his arms as delayed fright struck them both.  
  
Sephiroth knelt before the prone boys, laying a hand on each of their shoulders. They looked up at him, eyes wide with shock and fear. Slowly they stood, groping for each other's hands like young children.  
  
"Come with me." Sephiroth said softly, placing a hand on the back of each neck, leading them out of the courtyard.  
  
o o o  
  
Wish I might  
  
Wish I may  
  
You wish your life away  
  
Are you pacified?  
  
o o o  
  
Vincent smiled as he and Cid stepped into the 7th Heaven, raising his good hand in response to the greetings called out at them. The two men maneuvered through the room to a table near the back, one that was slowly becoming 'their' table. A waitress in a black skirt and a white shirt walked over to them, smiling. Cid wondered when they had hired a new girl when he realized that Tifa was standing before him, blushing softly, a notepad in her hand.  
  
"My dad says that fourteen is old enough to work the early evenings." Tifa offered by way of explanation. "I can't work any later than nine, though."  
  
"Well, congrats." Cid said, smiling at the pretty girl. "You allowed to serve alcohol, too?" she nodded. "Alright, two beers then." Tifa jotted down the order, flashed them a bright smile and darted off, squeezing between two tables.  
  
"Fourteen and working in a bar?" Vincent asked musingly.  
  
"Well, her dad owns the place," Cid said. "And she knows how to take care of herself. Plus, you heard her. No later than nine."  
  
"True."  
  
Tifa walked back up to the table, holding a tray with two mugs of beer in both hands. "Enjoy, gentlemen." She said brightly, setting the mugs on the table and walking off between the tables again.  
  
Cid raised his mug to his lips and took a deep draught. As he lowered his drink, he saw the door open to admit a tall, familiar, silver-haired figure. The mechanic raised a hand in greeting and was about to call out, but the sight before him stilled his greeting on his lips. Cloud and Squall walked close to Sephiroth's side, almost shrinking against the general, their faces tight masks of fear and shock. Sephiroth had an arm around each of their shoulders, comforting and protecting, his face hard and drawn. Both Vincent and Cid stood as the trio approached.  
  
"Sit." Sephiroth commanded quietly, steering each boy into a chair. They obeyed silently as Sephiroth beckoned to Tifa. "A kettle of tea and five cups, and a bottle of hard whiskey." He requested. Tifa nodded, sending Cloud a wide-eyed and worried glance before darting off.  
  
"What the hell happened?" Cid questioned as the three men sat down again.  
  
"Heartless." Sephiroth said grimly. "In the city. Smaller ones, but there was no mistaking them for anything else."  
  
"I-i was teaching Squall to _summon,"_ Cloud said, a quaver in his voice. "And they just came. There were four that we took care of, but then a lot more came. They drove us back and-" He broke off as he was wracked by a deep shiver.  
  
"They were cold." Squall said in a flat voice. "They were cold and dead and hungry, and it felt like we were doomed right there. There was no way we could handle that many of them."  
  
"I heard Cloud's thoughts," Sephiroth said, ignoring the startled looks they all gave him. "And I got to them as fast as I could."  
  
"Then you took care of them, I suppose." Cid finished. His brows drew together in a deep frown. "Sonuvabitch," He muttered. "Heartless in the city."  
  
Tifa returned with a tray bearing a steaming kettle, five cups and a metal flask. Vincent took the kettle, poured tea into each cup and added a generous dose of whiskey to each. "Drink," he said, handing the two boys each a cup. "It will calm your nerves."  
  
They drank, sputtering on the hard alcohol taste. Rough fire burned their throats, hit their belly's like bombs, then spread comforting warmth outwards. "Thanks." Cloud said weakly, managing a wavery grin.  
  
"The shock'll pass." Cid said. "Your first real fight and y' weren't even prepared. I'd say you both did pretty good." But looking at the still- frightened boys, the mechanic felt a helpless surge of anger. He too had heard rumors of Heartless, and the rumors were spreading steadily, like ripples in a pond, with the castle at the center. They were just kids, by the gods. They shouldn't have to deal with such a menace.  
  
Sephiroth emptied his cup in one draught, sighing as he lowered it back to the table. Vincent refilled it with more tea and whiskey silently. Sephiroth nodded in thanks, silent and distracted. He had seen the small Heartless before; Ansem had called them 'Shadows'. But the larger ones, the ones with the helms and red claws and dark bluish bodies and strange feet that resembled curl-toes shoes, those he had never seen. But there was something more, wasn't there? A symbol, a sigul on their chests that the Shadows didn't have. Abruptly Sephiroth sat up straighter in his seat, his eyes going wide and his hands clenching tight enough that the handle of his cup broke off in one fist. The others stared at him in alarm. The sigul, a heart-shape with a long, elaborate tail and a thorned X inside. The symbol decorated the entire castle he lived in; it was engraved into each door, embroidered into the corners of his bed sheets, carved into the great walls of the high receiving chamber, it was on the silverware and plates and the gods only knew where else. He had seen it so many times, he had gotten so used to it, that seeing it on the Heartless didn't immediately register to his mind. But now, sitting in this bar and thinking about the implications of a Heartless wearing the symbol of Hollow Bastion stunned him into cold shock. Only two men had the authority to allow that symbol to be placed on an object. He himself was one.  
  
Ansem was the other.  
  
"Ansem created them." Sephiroth said quietly. "He made the Heartless that attacked the boys. Obviously he underestimated them, or overestimated his shields, because they escaped from below the castle." He looked up at the stunned faces of the others. "They carried the sigul of our family. He placed the mark there so he knew which were his." He suddenly slammed his fist on the table, making them all jump. "I'm going back tonight and killing them all." He said flatly.  
  
"As good an idea as that sounds, Seph," Cid said. "You said he had shields around them, right? What if, by going through the shields, you break them an' let them all loose?" Sephiroth's eyes turned towards him, flat and angry and Cid held up his hands disarmingly. "I'm just saying, you might release a hell of a lot more of them in the city." He said.  
  
Sephiroth sighed, forced to admit that Cid was right. "Fine. But I am going to have a 'talk' with Ansem as soon as I get back." He said coldly.  
  
o o o  
  
All the wants you waste  
  
All the things you've chased  
  
o o o  
  
Sephiroth clenched his fists angrily, staring at Ansem's laboratory. The only thing missing from the room was Ansem himself. He turned as Vincent, Cid and Cloud came up behind him. "He's not in his rooms." Vincent said.  
  
"Or in any of the receiving halls." Cid added.  
  
"None of the servants saw him leave," Cloud said. "But none of them have seen him since this morning. I saw him a little before noon, but he was in here and he looked like he was going to spend the whole day here."  
  
Sephiroth listened to the three reports silently, then slipped between Vincent and Cloud, heading down the hall, the others running to catch up with his quick pace. "The Waterways." He said flatly. "He must be there."  
  
Cid glanced at Vincent and saw his own worry mirrored in his lover's eyes. "Seph, is it even-" He started.  
  
Sephiroth cut him off. "I'm not going through the shields." He snapped. "But I am going as close as I can get. Where else is he going to be but down there?"  
  
o o o  
  
Careful what you wish  
  
Careful what you say  
  
Careful what you wish, you may regret it  
  
Careful what you wish, you just might get it  
  
o o o  
  
The fast pace that Sephiroth set soon took them to the lifts that led to the Waterways. Vincent froze a moment as they came into view. Three years had passed since he had been released from his tomb, but not once in that time had he set foot in the Waterways, or even near the strange magnetic lifts that led there. Cid laid a comforting hand on the gunman's arm, watching him with concerned eyes. Vincent sighed shallowly and the two joined an impatient Sephiroth and a rather frightened Cloud on the lift.  
  
The bars of energy closed around them, and with a slight whirr the platform they stood on dropped smoothly. The softly pink stone of the castle gave way to the cooler, blue-tinted stone of the Waterways. Sephiroth stepped off the lift as soon as it stopped, seeming to float effortlessly on the spelled water that covered the floor of the area they stood in. His companions followed, Cid and Cloud summoning their own weapons, Vincent drawing his ever-present pistol from the holster at his hip. The slither- steps of many Heartless echoed off the damp walls, quietly menacing. Sephiroth strode across the water towards a dark opening in the stone walls, the others close behind.  
  
For a moment, the darkness within the door was complete, resolute. Then somewhere far back in the shadows, a single pair of yellow eyes peered out at them. They came closer, another pair appearing off to the left, another to the right. They moved closer to the doorway, seeming to be drawn by the very beating of their hearts. Inky black bodies condensed around the eyes, expressionless and twitchy. Suddenly, one pair of eyes leapt forward, not one of the tiny Shadows but one of the helmed Heartless. More of them condensed from the shadowy depths, their metal helms gleaming, each identical to the other. They pressed close to the doorway, stopping about a foot inside, jostling each other for space in a way that was eerily human.  
  
Sephiroth reached out slowly with one hand and they all froze, staring at him with greedy eyes. The young man placed one hand seemingly on nothing, testing the strength of the shield he knew was before him. The shield flared briefly white before disappearing again. Sephiroth's brows drew together, a stormy frown crossing his handsome face. The Heartless hadn't moved an inch away from the shield when it flared up. The shield lacked any power to do any damage as the shield that Ansem had cast around Vincent had. It seemed to be more like a thick glass wall than anything, enough to hold them back unless one was strong enough to simply break through but nothing more. And the Heartless apparently knew that it couldn't hurt them.  
  
The Heartless started shifting around again when Sephiroth took his hand away. Cloud stared at them in a good deal of fear. He still hadn't fully recovered from the shock and fear he had felt when he and Squall were attacked earlier. Some of the Heartless looked at him, attracted by his fear and madly beating heart. Half of the Heartless they could see were the tiny Shadows, but the rest were the helmed ones, and each helmed Heartless was marked by the scarlet sigul of the royal family and Hollow Bastion. Suddenly, a group of small Heartless, each perhaps a foot tall and resembling a tiny man wearing a stiff cloak and a large hat, flew up above the heads of the Shadows and the helmed Heartless. Compared to the others, there were brightly colored, red and yellow and blue and green, tiny yellow eyes peering out of black faces from between the high collars of their cloaks and the low brims of their hats. Each wore the royal symbol on their fronts. They danced in the air, sparkles in each of their colors falling from beneath their cloaks. But despite the almost festive look they had, their eyes were still the same dead-alive hungry yellow as the other Heartless.  
  
"I call them my musicians."  
  
All four of them whipped around as Ansem's voice came from behind them. He smiled benignly and motioned at the Heartless that danced in the air. "They make such lovely sounds." He continued, not noticing the anger, shock and fear that mixed on the faces of the others in varying amounts. "Red Noctures, Blue Rhapsodies, Yellow Operas and Green Requiems. The larger ones with the helms are Soldiers. My Soldiers." He chuckled quietly, his eyes looking at the Heartless with an almost loving gaze.  
  
"Some have escaped." Sephiroth said sharply. "They were down in the city. I killed them."  
  
Ansem glanced distractedly at his brother. "Nonsense." he said, waving his hand. "First, they cannot escape, and they do not want to escape. And second, they do not die. Their hearts return to the core, and become new Heartless. The cycle repeats, forevermore, with our own hearts when we die." His words seemed more to himself than to the others, slowly walking towards the shield and the waiting Heartless.  
  
"They escaped!" Sephiroth insisted. "They carried the sigul you put there!"  
  
Ansem didn't answer, but walked through the shield. The Heartless converged around him like children happily greeting their father after he has been away for the day. He looked back over his shoulder at them as he walked down the hall, falling into shadow. "If anyone but me crosses that shield," He said, "It will fall and they will get out. I suggest you go back upstairs and forget about them being down here." He turned his back to them and was swallowed by the darkness.  
  
o o o  
  
And it all crashes down  
  
And you break your crown  
  
And you point your finger  
  
But there's no one around  
  
o o o  
  
"Obviously he's insane." Cid said, staring moodily at his cup. Rather than spend the night in the castle, knowing exactly stood between them and the Heartless, Sephiroth had ordered them, servants and all, from the castle and into the city. The four of them, plus Nanaki and Reeve, had found themselves back at the Seventh Heaven, hot cups of tea between their hands. "I mean," Cid continued. "He was treating them like his kids or something."  
  
Sephiroth nodded slowly. "Tomorrow, as soon as it is light," He said. "We go back and kill every last Heartless within the castle walls."  
  
Nanaki's gaze ticked between them. "And Lord Ansem?" He questioned.  
  
Sephiroth was quiet a long moment. "We may have to stop him as well." He said finally.  
  
"Sonuvabitch." Cid muttered.  
  
"Get some sleep." Sephiroth commanded, standing. "Our rooms are waiting for us. We shall not deal with the Heartless until dawn."  
  
Had he known then how wrong he'd be about that, he would've headed back up to the castle then. But he had no warning about what was to happen later that night.  
  
o o o  
  
Just want one thing  
  
Just to play the king  
  
But the castle's crumbled  
  
And you're left with just a name  
  
Where's your crown, King Nothing? 


	12. Don't Tread on Me

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
A/N: The 'implied CloudXSephiroth' that's been in my coupling warning for so long? It's no longer implied.  
  
Chapter 12: Don't Tread on Me  
  
Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail  
  
Once you provoke her, rattling of her tail  
  
o o o  
  
As soon as the door shut behind them, they embraced, lips tangling fiercely as they tried to convey their feelings without words. Want and worry and fear and desire and pure simple need poured from one to the other as frantic hands tugged at each other's clothing. Their lovemaking was almost rushed, the feeling of time running out poised over their heads like a guillotine. When they were done they clung to each other.  
  
Cid held Vincent against his chest, stroking his raven hair with one hand as their twin ankhs fluttered between their chests. Vincent wrapped his arms around Cid's torso, feeling that the mechanic was unnaturally tense below him. "Don't be afraid, Highwind." He murmured, placing a light kiss on Cid's collarbone.  
  
"I ain't afraid, I'm fuckin' terrified." Cid replied, hugging Vincent closer. "The gods only know what's going to happen tomorrow."  
  
"We will go back to the castle tomorrow," Vincent said firmly. "We will kill the Heartless within, and we stop Ansem's madness."  
  
"Then what?" Cid asked. "We live happily ever after?"  
  
"Of course." Vincent replied, shifting to place a kiss on Cid's lips. "Happily ever after, together."  
  
"I'm not so sure 'Happily ever after' exists anymore, Vince." Cid replied. Vincent opened his mouth to argue and was interrupted by screams.  
  
o o o  
  
Never begins it, never but once engaged  
  
Never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage  
  
o o o  
  
Sephiroth lay on his bed, arms tucked behind his head, so still that Cloud couldn't tell if he was sleeping or awake and thinking. The general had told Cloud to stay at the Inn for the night, rather than go back home to his mother. "I want you nearby in case we have to move quickly," Had been his explanation. Cloud had agreed, but now he was more nervous than he could ever remember being. He was worried about tomorrow, but it also stemmed from the fact that he had never seen Sephiroth sleep before. Even when he had taken them all to a nearly deserted island for a week a few summers ago, he had slept in his own cabin on the boat, rather than join them on the beach. _That's when he's the most vulnerable, when he's sleeping_, Cloud thought. _He doesn't like showing that to others_. And hard on the heels of that thought came another: _He trusts me enough to let me see him sleep_. A slight blush crept up his cheeks at the thought.  
  
"You need your rest, Cloud." Sephiroth said quietly, not moving except for his lips and making Cloud jump a foot. "We'll have hard times ahead."  
  
Cloud's lips quirked. "I'm not sure I can yet." He admitted. "It's still early and I usually don't fall asleep for another couple hours."  
  
Sephiroth's eyes opened, looking across the space between their beds at his student. "You should learn to get your rest whenever you can take it." He said.  
  
Cloud felt his cheeks heat again at the gentle criticism. "I-I've never had a reason to learn." He said.  
  
Sephiroth sighed and sat up, draping his arms around his knees. His boots and heavy coat had been draped over a chair, and he was shirtless except for a pair of suspenders that crossed on the front of his chest. His hair was a rich tumble of silver in the gloom and Cloud's heart burst into an erratic rhythm at the sight of his teacher looking so- so _human_ and so beautiful it hurt to look at him, but hurt more to look away. Sephiroth stared forward into the shadows of the room, a slight quirk on his lips. "I understand what you mean." He said finally. "Not tired enough to sleep, though you know you must." He sighed. "Though you know lives may depend on how tired you are the next day." He finished quietly.  
  
Cloud watched as Sephiroth stood, his hair rippling like water as he moved. He padded across the floor on silent feet to the window that looked out over the street below. The general hugged his elbows against his chest as he stared out the window to the people below, still going about their lives. Cloud, still sitting on his bed, felt his heart crack. Sephiroth seemed, for once, the young man he was, instead of the invincible general everyone saw him as. Steeling himself, Cloud slid from his bed and padded across the room to his teacher. Sephiroth turned towards him, a frown on his brow, as he approached. Swallowing past the nervous lump in his throat, his heart going a million miles a second, Cloud stood on his toes, wrapped his arms around Sephiroth's shoulders and pulled him into a clumsy, shy kiss.  
  
_(Wha?!)  
  
Please I don't care if we die if I never see my mom again if I never see YOU again just let me  
  
(Cloud?)  
  
have this to remember please just let me have you to remember let me have just a moment to remember that you really are human-  
  
(Cloud. . . . . .)_  
  
He broke the kiss as abruptly as he had started it, letting go of Sephiroth's shoulders and staring at the floor, his face pure scarlet. His heart thundered as he wondered what his teacher's reaction was going to be. He managed to look up, biting his lip, and saw no anger but deep thought in Sephiroth's emerald eyes. His mind suddenly threw out a bit of memory from earlier in the day: Sephiroth had heard his thoughts and had come to help him. Had he heard them again?  
  
_(Perhaps I did)  
_  
o o o  
  
_Said don't tread on me_  
  
o o o  
  
Cloud jumped as Sephiroth's voice whispered through his head. His mouth fell open a bit as he stared up at his teacher in shock. Sephiroth's eyes were three parts thoughtful, one part amused, and one part some emotion Cloud couldn't identify. "I'm flattered," The general said softly, "But I think your kiss needs a bit more practice." Cloud's eyes went wide as strong fingers gripped his chin, tipping his head back slightly. Sephiroth's hair fell around their faces as the general leaned forward and brought their lips together a second time. His other hand rested lightly on Cloud's waist, pulling the boy closer. Cloud gripped at Sephiroth's shoulders as his head spun from the sensation of being so close to the one being he loved more than anything else-  
  
_Love?  
  
(There is nothing wrong with love, for love shall protect your heart from anything)  
  
Fine if that's the case then I love you love you until the end of time itself please don't leave me behind-  
  
(I won't)  
_  
The kiss broke gently and Cloud gasped softly, everything spinning. ".... love you." He breathed unconsciously; his fingers trembling as he hesitantly stroked a lock of Sephiroth's hair like he'd wanted to for months. Sephiroth parted his lips to say something, but the sounds of screams from out the window shattered the moment.  
  
o o o  
  
So be it, threaten no more  
  
To secure peace is to prepare for war  
  
So be it, settle the score  
  
Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore...  
  
o o o  
  
Cid had never known exactly how fast Vincent could move in a hurry. One moment they had been lying there and speaking of happily ever after, the next a scream had sounded from outside and his arms were empty, Vincent a rapidly dressing blur at the foot of the bed. Before Cid had time to move from the bed Vincent was already gone, strapping his holster to his waist and thigh. Another scream rent the air and Cid rolled from the bed, landing on his feet and began searching for his clothes. He dressed quickly and left the room, nearly slamming into Cloud as the boy left his room. They didn't speak, only _summoned_ their weapons and ran down the stairs.  
  
Apparently Sephiroth had inherited Vincent's speed for the two blonds found father and son standing beside each other just outside the Inn door, Nanaki and Reeve close by, all of them looking up. Cid looked up and nearly choked. Huge dark shapes filled the sky, streaming from the castle. Once over the city they plunged down, revealing themselves as large red-purple creatures that bore some resemblance to the gargoyles that decorated some buildings. The sigul of Hollow Bastion could clearly be seen on their stomachs as they dove among the streets, bowling people over with their hind legs, tattered-looking wings flapping.  
  
"Ansem." Sephiroth hissed. He walked down the street, unmindful of the chaos around him, to a stable a few buildings down. He lashed out with one foot and kicked the door open, then entered. The others ran after him in time to see him strapping a saddle to a Chocobo's back. He swung up onto the bird and kicked it forward, nearly bowling them all over as he left the stable at a madman's pace. Masamune whirled in the air as he rode, striking down any Heartless within it's reach. He headed for the castle.  
  
"Shit." Cid muttered. "Everyone on a bird." They didn't need to be told twice and hurried to grab Chocobo tack. Soon they were saddled up and riding out, Reeve riding double behind Nanaki.  
  
o o o  
  
_Don't tread on me_  
  
o o o  
  
Cid decided to take Sephiroth's example and lashed out with his spear at every Heartless he could while urging his mount faster. Vincent emptied his gun as fast as he could and refilled it, his hands working in blurs. Cloud was about to follow example when a familiar cry caught his attention. Ahead he saw Squall surrounded by a writhing mass of black shapes, his gunblade gleaming as he kept them at bay. "Squall!" Cloud shouted, goading his Chocobo straight for the younger boy. He leaned to the side, holding out his hand and Squall grabbed his wrist, swinging up behind him.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Squall yelled, wrapping one arm around Cloud's waist and clinging to his Gunblade with the other.  
  
"Ansem's lost it and released these things." Cloud replied grimly. "We're going to stop him." He looked back over his shoulder. "You in?"  
  
"Those things took my parents," Squall said flatly. "And-and your mom. I tried to stop them but there were too many. I-I'm sorry I couldn't help." He fell silent a moment. "Yeah, I'm in. I want a piece of these things."  
  
Cloud felt his heart wrench at the knowledge of his mother being taken. _Never got to tell her goodbye,_ he thought grimly. _I love you mom. I'll see you again soon_.  
  
o o o  
  
Love it or leave it, she with the deadly bite  
  
Quick is the blue tongue, forked as a lightning strike  
  
o o o  
  
Sephiroth dismounted before the castle and ran inside, looking around. These lower levels were the servant's quarters and Chocobo stables, but no one was around. Belatedly, he remembered sending the servants into the city for the night. He heard a whimpering and turned, finding himself face to face with the door to a storage closet. He pulled it open, Masamune at ready, then froze at the sight within.  
  
Yuffie clung to Aerith, her arms around the older girl's waist, Aerith stroking the younger girl's hair comfortingly. They looked up in shock and fear as Sephiroth wrenched the door open. "S-s-sephiroth?" Aerith whispered, looking at him, wide-eyed. The general lowered his sword slowly and both girls piled out of the closet, wrapping their arms around his waist and burying their faces in his stomach. Sephiroth sighed, carefully sheathing Masamune at his side and laying a comforting hand on each of their backs. He looked up as Cid and Vincent ran in, followed by Cloud, Squall, Nanaki and Reeve.  
  
Cloud stopped short on seeing Aerith and Yuffie clinging to his teacher. "What the-"  
  
"We were looking for you guys." Aerith said, her voice quavering as she released Sephiroth's waist. "W-we thought you might be up here. But no one was here, and we heard those-those-those things coming, so we hid." She shivered. "What were they?"  
  
"Heartless." Squall said. "Monsters that eat people's hearts." The girls stared at him, uncomprehending.  
  
"Hurry." Sephiroth urged. "We have to stop him."  
  
"You think he might still be in the Waterways?" Cloud asked as they took a lift into the castle proper.  
  
"That's where we're starting." Sephiroth replied grimly. But instead of leading them towards the lift into the Waterways, he turned a corner and led them to Cid's workshop, across the wide floor and into the alcove that served as the mechanic's office. "You five," He said, looking at Aerith, Yuffie, Squall, Nanaki and Reeve, "Will stay here." His eyes narrowed as they started to protest. "No arguments." He said sharply. "You will stay here, out of the way. Understand?" They nodded glumly, filing into the alcove. Sephiroth turned abruptly and strode out, the others close behind.  
  
Squall crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, his face dark with anger at the unfairness of the situation. Yuffie and Aerith sat on Cid's desk, heads bowed. After a moment, Yuffie looked up. "Hey," She said. "Where'd the kitty-boys go?"  
  
They looked around. Nanaki and Reeve were gone.  
  
o o o  
  
Shining with brightness, always on surveillance  
  
The eyes, they never close, emblem of vigilance  
  
o o o  
  
Vincent knew they were being followed. He walked at the tail of the small group, Cid before him, Sephiroth in front, Cloud between mechanic and general. Whatever was behind them was quiet, almost deadly silent, but the Heartless within his body alerted him to the thrumming of their hearts and the pulse of their fear. He turned sharply, hand on the butt of the pistol at his hip.  
  
Reeve and Nanaki froze, bare paw-like feet silent on the stone floor. Vincent's eyes narrowed sharply as the others turned to see what had caught his attention. "What," He said flatly. "Are you two doing here?"  
  
"Hunting." Nanaki replied.  
  
Sephiroth came up at Vincent's side, his eyes flaring in anger. "I told you- " He started.  
  
"We know what you told us." Reeve interrupted. The two half-felines were probably the only beings in the world who had enough natural disdain for humans to interrupt Sephiroth while talking and angry. "We also know that Ansem's not in the Waterways." He jerked his head back, motioning towards a side hall that led to the main Lift stop in the heart of the castle. "He came up that way, heading up. Towards the receiving halls."  
  
"How can you possibly know that?" Cid snapped.  
  
Nanaki smiled humorlessly, tapping lightly on one side of his nose. "We are feline, human. Our senses are much more.....acute than yours. We know Ansem's scent, and it is coming off the lifts in waves, very recent. He is above us, not below. Below, maybe, a trap, Heartless in wait. Above, Lord Ansem." He looked at them, eyes dark with anger and grief and old pain. "Those things took our home while we were too young to fight back." He said grimly. He raised one hand, short fingers splayed. His nails suddenly shot out, extending his fingers by an inch and a half, each one as sharp as the talons on Vincent's gauntlet. "We want revenge. And with us, you can find Ansem that much quicker."  
  
Sephiroth glared at them, his face set in angry, hard lines. He made an abrupt motion towards the Lift Stop with one hand, giving them permission to lead the way. The feline-boys turned, running almost silent back down the hall, the humans close behind.  
  
o o o  
  
Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail  
  
Once you provoke her, rattling on her tail  
  
o o o  
  
If asked, Cid would've sworn that no one could have changed any of the lifts without his knowledge, not even Ansem. He had built every lift, replacing the spiraled central stairs with the contraptions. The lifts could be deactivated with a spoken password, and only activated by a person who knew the counter password. When they reached the lifts, they were, in fact, all deactivated. Cid quickly activated the first one again, and they took it up.  
  
The series was a tedious one; ride a lift, run across a balcony or through a hall, ride another lift, keep moving ever upwards, ever on the lookout for Heartless, casting quick glances out over the city when it was in view. Sephiroth, barely out of childhood but already a tactical genius when they were built, had decided on the long, winding spiral around, inside and outside the castle as a defensive strategy more than anything. Anyone defending the castle would have ample opportunity to waylay an attacker or trap them on an upper level with a spoken word. Now the effectiveness of the strategy was proven as they climbed ever upwards, tense and ever waiting for a horde of Heartless to issue from the castle and sweep them away. They never came and the warriors continued onwards, Nanaki and Reeve leading the way, following Ansem's trail.  
  
One lift crossed the front of the castle. It was much larger than any of the other lifts, and was built simply to give a large group a breath-taking view of both the castle and the city, and was probably the closest thing to a tourist ride that the castle had. No one wondered why Ansem's scent had led to this particular lift when it wasn't necessary, there was another way he could've taken that would have been faster. Maybe he wanted to see the city, or maybe he wasn't expecting pursuit. Whatever the reason, the two felines ran up to the huge lift, which was surrounded by static energy bars. Cid opened his mouth to speak the activation password, but before he could the energy of the lift seemed to reach out and grab those closest to it - Nanaki and Reeve.  
  
The boys cried out as they were dragged into the lift and it set off across the castle, leaving the humans behind on the balcony. Cid cursed, watching it make it's journey, the others crowded around him. "Can you make it come back?" Cloud asked.  
  
Cid shook his head. "It runs on a loop. It'll come back for us and I hope those two have the smarts to stay put until we get there."  
  
If any of the others thought to respond, their words died when the lift stopped halfway through it's journey across the castle and black shaped materialized within it.  
  
o o o  
  
So be it, threaten no more  
  
To secure peace is to prepare for war  
  
o o o  
  
Reeve screamed as black smoke appeared before him, condensing into a human- shape with a large hat, flowing robes and a staff. It floated a foot off the ground, it's purple-black robes marked with the royal symbol, it's eyes hidden beneath it's hat. But Reeve knew that they'd be yellow and dead- alive. Heartless eyes. He stumbled back, leaning heavily against Nanaki, and looked around wildly. Two more of the robed Heartless had appeared, slowly floating towards the two felines.  
  
Nanaki screamed, a wild, howling noise full of grief and rage, and pounced at the nearest Heartless, four sets of claws unsheathed and gleaming. The Heartless hit him with it's staff, sending him sprawling, then aimed it at him, a ball of fire erupting from the staff to hit Nanaki square in the chest. Reeve shrieked, running to his friend's side as the three creatures converged on them.  
  
o o o  
  
So be it, settle the score  
  
o o o  
  
Cid's eyes went wide when he saw the Heartless appear on the lift. He turned, his lips forming the request, and saw that Vincent had the same idea, pistol in hand and aiming at the lift. The shot rang out, deafening in close quarters, but the energy around the lift flared, and the bullet ricocheted away. The pistol rang out several times and each time the bullet bounced away. Vincent lowered his gun with a snarl, talented hands already loading a fresh clip. The boys were on their own.  
  
o o o  
  
Touch me again for the words that you will hear evermore....  
  
o o o  
  
Nanaki sat up, wincing as the movement sifted the burned skin of his chest. Reeve was at his side, tugging his arm, staring at the approaching Heartless with sheer terror. The three creatures surrounded them, reaching down to them. The two boys fought like cornered animals, biting, scratching, kicking and screaming out in terror, rage and pain as spell upon spell rained down on their bodies. Burnt, frozen and electrocuted, they could do little more than stare in horror as the Heartless closed in, and they felt little more than a tug as their hearts were pulled from them.  
  
Their bodies disappeared. So did the Heartless.  
  
Across the open space between the balcony and lift rang Cloud's scream of grief.  
  
o o o  
  
_Don't tread on me_  
  
o o o 


	13. Painful Interlude

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, not-so implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 13: Painful Interlude  
  
o o o  
  
Sephiroth grabbed Cid's arm as the empty lift made it's way back towards them. "Go back," he said softly. "Go get those children, get in one of the Gummi-ships and get the hell out of here. We'll follow as soon as we can." Cid looked at him, his eyes dead ands blank. Sephiroth shook him sharply. "Snap out of it, Highwind." He hissed sharply. "Go. Vincent, you too. Get the hell off this world."  
  
Cid's frown was thunderous. "If you think we're jus' gonna-"  
  
"That's an order, Highwind." Sephiroth said with deadly calm. "Go."  
  
Cid's mouth snapped shut and he turned abruptly and stalked away, Vincent following.  
  
Sephiroth sighed inaudibly and looked at Cloud at his side. He wondered if he'd live to see the sun rise, then decided that it no longer mattered.  
  
o o o  
  
Cid strode through the halls and lifts and balconies, his face drawn and thunderous. Vincent walked beside him, stone silent. They walked close together, and despite their silence and anger and fear their hands often intertwined for a moment. They said nothing. They didn't have to.  
  
The softest of noises caught Vincent's attention and he twisted, his cloak spinning out from his shoulders as he drew his gun and shot once into the dark hallway behind them. The gun flash lit up the hall in a lightning strike, revealing a dozen dark shapes. The Heartless Vincent's bullet had caught in the chest disappeared, it's whirling crystal heart throwing a scarlet gleam over the Heartless crowded into the hall, slowly moving forward. Cid swore.  
  
"Highwind," Vincent said softly, turning towards his lover. Cid looked up at him and Vincent grabbed the mechanic, pulling him close and bruising their lips together in a rough, desperate kiss. "Go on, get them out of here, Highwind." Vincent whispered. "I'll be close behind, but I want to put the fear of me into these things, first, so that they do not follow." The second kiss was softer, sweeter, and infinitely sadder. "They need you now. Go." He all but pushed Cid away from him and turned back towards the approaching creatures. Rather than argue, Cid continued on.  
  
o o o  
  
Their swords bit through black creatures, carving a path through the Heartless enough to admit them both through. The door to his office, their office, loomed ahead. Sephiroth swept the Heartless from the door with his sword and pulled the heavy wooden door open, Cloud at his side.  
  
Ansem stood beside his desk, gazing out the window as if he hadn't released a thousand horrors on his people. He turned towards the two swordsmen with a beautific smile. Sephiroth stared at his brother for a long time, unmoving. "Why?" He asked finally, his voice dry and cracked. "Why release this madness?"  
  
"Madness?" Ansem asked, amused. "This is not madness, my dear brother. This the pursuit of knowledge."  
  
"Knowledge?" Sephiroth asked incredulously. "Knowledge?! Your 'knowledge' is causing untold destruction! Those accursed heartless-"  
  
"Are purging the weak from this world." Ansem replied softly. He stepped towards his half-brother, eyes gleaming ruddy-gold in the lamplight. "No longer shall we have to live to serve those weaklings, my brother. No longer shall we be confined to this castle. We can leave this world, with the help of the Heartless, and travel and learn, and we shall learn so very much." He held out his hand in an offer of peace. "You and I, Sephiroth, alone, together, and we shall rule not one world but many. Together."  
  
Sephiroth had taken a step towards Ansem without realizing it. Throughout his life, Ansem and their mother were the only people he ever listened to without question, without thought. The habit was so long engraved in him that his hand was already halfway out to meet Ansem's. Then he glanced back, saw Cloud's grief-stricken face, saw the Heartless crowded around the door, heard Cloud's frantic plead-  
  
_(Don't go you said you said you wouldn't leave me behind you said you wouldn't oh please don't leave remember I love you until the end of time you said you wouldn't leave me behind I love you-)_  
  
like a whisper or a scream across his mind. He looked back at Ansem, his face hardening, withdrawing his hand. "What about Cloud, Ansem?" He asked his voice quiet and dangerously flat. "What about my father, and Cid, and Squall, and Aerith, and Yuffie? What about Reeve and Nanaki, who were taken even as I watched?"  
  
Ansem's face twisted in disgust. "They are all too weak to handle-"  
  
"What about the people of the city?" Sephiroth demanded, his voice rising. "What about the people of this world, who you promised to guide? That I promised to protect? What of them? What about our mother, who lost her heart? _What about our mother!?"_  
  
Ansem stepped back, black smoky shadows writhing across his body. Masamune screamed in the air, into Ansem's midsection - and straight through it without drawing blood. Ansem threw back his head and laughed. "Even I was too weak, in my body." He laughed. "No longer. I am forced to leave my body behind, but my spirit shall travel on to find others who share my thirst for knowledge, for within knowledge lies true power." His laughter seemed to dwindle off into the distance as his body disappeared under the darkness that consumed him. A moment later he was gone.  
  
And the Heartless were approaching.  
  
"Cloud." Sephiroth said sharply, striding towards the windows and throwing open the shutters. A pale light on the horizon hinted towards a dawn nearly an hour away. Cloud approached, and then yelped slightly as Sephiroth hooked an arm around the boy's waist. Lifting Cloud easily, the general stepped up onto the wide windowsill, then jumped out, praying that he had remembered the layout correctly, that the balcony wasn't too far below, that he wasn't sending them both directly into the Rising falls.  
  
They hit the balcony and rolled, swords clattering and for a wonder not slicing either of them to ribbons. Sephiroth was to his feet in a second, ignoring the dull ache in his legs that was the result of their landing, and pulled Cloud to his feet, already running towards the nearest lift down. 


	14. For Whom the Bell Tolls

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 14: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Make this fight on the hill in the early day  
  
Constant chill deep inside  
  
Shouting gun, on they run, through the endless grey  
  
On the fight, for they are right, yes, but who's to say?  
  
o o o  
  
Cid stalked around the corner, a shivering Yuffie held one arm. Aerith walked by his side, holding his hand, Squall on the other side with his gunblade at the ready. Cid let go of Aerith's hand long enough to push open a large door. The two Gummi-ships that Cid had finished in the last two years gleamed in the pre-dawn light, the blue-grey Highwind and the bright pink and much smaller Tiny Bronco. Cid led them towards the Highwind and set Yuffie down. "On the Highwind." He said firmly. "And stay there. You too, Squall." Knowing better than to argue, they scrambled up the short ramp and into the ship as Cid went to open the great doors at the end of the hanger.  
  
The sound of the door opening caught his attention and he turned, expecting to see Vincent enter, but saw instead Sephiroth and Cloud. He ran over to them, looking past them for Vincent's dark form, straining his ears for the sounds of gunshots. "Where is he?" The mechanic snapped.  
  
"Vincent?" Cloud asked, turning towards Sephiroth with wide eyes. "He's still up there? We must've passed him when we jumped!"  
  
Cid looked as if he was going to take off right then for his lover, but Sephiroth grabbed him by the elbow before he could. "We'll go for him, Cid," He said. "But you need to get them out of here now. I can fly the Bronco, but only you know how to fly the Highwind. Please."  
  
Cid looked at Sephiroth for a long moment, his azure eyes full of pain and worry, then he grabbed Sephiroth by the edges of his coat and pulled him close, nose to nose. "You had better find him." He snarled, then released Sephiroth and stalked towards his ship.  
  
Sephiroth turned on one heel and left. Cloud threw a worried glance back at the Highwind and followed his teacher.  
  
o o o  
  
For a hill, men would kill. Why? They do not know  
  
Suffered wounds test their pride  
  
Men of five, still alive through the raging glow  
  
Gone insane from the pain that they surely know  
  
o o o  
  
They nearly tripped over Vincent. The gunman was sitting against the wall of a balcony, breathing harshly, his eyes closed. The swordsmen dropped beside him, swords clattering to the stone. "Vince-" Cloud started.  
  
"Damn things." Vincent muttered, sitting up and opening his eyes. He looked up at them, his eyes clouded in pain. Sephiroth opened his mouth to speak, then fell silent once he got a good look at what was left of Vincent's torso. A ragged wound gaped across Vincent's chest, the pale gleam of his ribs deep inside. A smaller wound ripped across his leg, welled up with bright blood. More blood stained the stone around him. It was amazing he was still alive. Around the corner ahead, the slither-step of approaching Heartless was clearly audible.  
  
"C'mon, Vincent." Cloud pleaded, tugging the gunman's arm. "Cid's waiting for us down-"  
  
"Cid..." Vincent said sadly. His hands came up to his neck and slowly unbuckled the cloak around his neck. He reached inside the collar of his shirt and pulled out the Ankh Cid had given him a year and a half before; the day he told him he loved him. The wings beat wildly as Vincent unfastened the chain and handed it to Cloud. Cloud carefully took it, looking at Vincent with wide eyes, then fastened the chain around his own neck. Vincent sat back with a barely audible sigh, his good hand coming up to twist the metal band of his gauntlet.  
  
"Vincent," Sephiroth hissed. "You-"  
  
"Tell him I love him." Vincent whispered, sliding the gauntlet off his arm, revealing the deformed hand beneath. "Give him that and tell him that I'm sorry I couldn't make it." He pulled his cloak out from beneath him, wrapped it around his gauntlet, and handed the bundle to Cloud. "Make sure he gets it and remember my message." Cloud nodded, his throat too thick with unshed tears to speak.  
  
Vincent turned his scarlet eyes towards Sephiroth, a soft smile on his lips. His hand came up, trembling and blood-stained, to dance as light as a moth along the general's cheek. "As beautiful as your mother." He breathed as Sephiroth's hand came up and covered Vincent's, pressing it to his cheek. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to watch you grow up. Take care of your student. Now go." His eyes closed again as he bit his lip in pain. Sephiroth nodded slowly, his fingers trailing Vincent's as he stood. Cloud stood beside him and the two retrieved their swords and left. "Be safe." Vincent whispered at their retreating backs.  
  
For the second time in his life, Vincent Valentine was going to die for love.  
  
o o o  
  
Take a look at the sky just before you die  
  
It's the last time you will  
  
Blackened roar, massive roar, fills the crumbling sky  
  
Shattered goal fills his soul with a ruthless cry  
  
o o o  
  
He sighed and picked up the gun that lay forgotten in his lap, checking the clip. He could feel the Heartless rising in his mind, much more slowly than last time. The Heartless kept his heart safe from the other creatures, but not his body. His body, more or less, was still human and could die like anyone else. The rising Heartless gave him an extra burst of energy and he stood, injuries forgotten as he whirled, liquid-smooth, scarlet wings exploding through his shirt and the skin of his back.  
  
A massive wave of Heartless was bearing down on him, dead-alive eyes greedy for his heart that they could not have.  
  
o o o  
  
Stranger now, are his eyes, to this mystery  
  
He hears the silence so loud  
  
o o o  
  
His gun sang it's song of death in his hand, each bullet making a fatal mark. As he watched the Heartless fall before him, tears fell down his cheeks. Tears for those taken by the Heartless, lost to the darkness. Tears for the children, ripped from their home, for the son he never held, for his lover he'd never hold again, for his long-dead love he never told goodbye. None fell for himself. He never cried for his own fate.  
  
o o o  
  
Crack of dawn, all is gone, except the will to be  
  
Now they will see what will be, blinded eyes to see  
  
o o o  
  
His gun clicked empty, his clips all spent. He tossed it aside, spreading both arms and wings. "As long as I live," He yelled at the approaching Heartless. "You will not pass me to take those I love!" The approaching creatures hesitated, then plunged forward. Vincent's wings flapped, lifting him into the air, and he flew forward to meet his death.  
  
He was smiling.  
  
o o o  
  
For whom the bell tolls  
  
Time marches on  
  
For whom the bell tolls. 


	15. End

Title: For Whom the Bell Tolls  
  
Author: Sae  
  
Fan-verse: Kingdom Hearts FFVII  
  
Couplings: VincentXCid, some implied CloudXSephiroth  
  
Rating: PG-13 and most likely to stay that way.  
  
Disclaimer: KH & FFVII belong to Squaresoft. The song-ness in each chapter belongs to Metallica.  
  
Not me. Nope, nope, nope.  
  
Warnings: Yaoi. Many little kids running around. Blatent screw-up-ed-ness of Sephiroth's family. (Hey, this is KH, ANYTHING could happen) Sad, sad angst at the end. Chibi Zell.....On sugar.  
  
Chapter 15: End  
  
Cloud entered the hanger in time to see the tail end of the Highwind leave it. He clambered into the Tiny Bronco behind Sephiroth, Vincent's gauntlet heavy in his arms. "I'm glad I paid attention when Cid explained this thing to me." Sephiroth muttered, hitting switches on the console. The Gummi-ship roared to life, starting forward with a slight jerk. Cloud pressed his face to the window as they shot out of the hanger, scanning the passing balconies for any sign of Vincent. All he saw was a mass of writhing black.  
  
"Hang on," Sephiroth said tersely. "I'm going to hit the warp." All Cloud remembered later was the sky rushing forward to meet them, then fading from the pale pink of dawn to the wild blue-black of interspace, dotted with stars and huge colorful shapes that made Hollow Bastion seem small. Then it all blurred backwards as the warp engaged, throwing him back into the seat. Far ahead, a mile or a million miles, was black space dotted by a single tiny yellow world but Cloud screamed because it looked like the eye of the universe's biggest Heartless coming straight at them then Cloud Strife knew no more.  
  
When he came to, Cloud was looking up into small dark eyes, a large ruddy nose, unshaved cheeks and.....horns? He blinked. The horns didn't disappear.  
  
"Holy Hera." The horned person said. "You're lucky to be alive, kid. Herc, Meg! The little one's up! Hey kid, I'm Phil, who're you?"  
  
o o o 


End file.
